Summer Sisters Birthday Extravaganza

15 years ago I made a new friend at Temple’s Wednesday night school. Who knew that 15 years later, countless movies, dinners, trips and more that we would still be such good friends…As well as Summer Sister (heck our birthdays are 2 DAYS APART).

So this past weekend, Sarah and I celebrated a joint brunch given to us by our parents. I think this was in an effort to get Sarah over her stage fright of entering a new decade. And for me a chance to start practicing saying a very large number, even when I’m not completely acting my age. Either way it truly was a milestone to enter a new phase of our lives.

I will fondly recall it as the Summer Sisters Birthday Extravaganza from now on.

We had some good friends join us for some bagels, french toast casserole, fruit and my personal favorite – Strawberry Cake from Miss Muff’n, What a great day and what an incredible group of friends and family that surround us. I’m extremely blessed to have such kind, warm-hearted people in my life.

Here are a few photos of the folks gathered:

Sarah & Rachel
Steve, Jan & Lauren
Cooper & Jordan
Beth & Sam

Welcome to the Dirty Thirty Club!

It finally happened. I woke up yesterday and was officially welcomed into the Dirty Thirty Club. It was bound to happen sooner or later (but I was still hoping for much later).

Anyway, more on the subject of staring a new decade in another post. And I'll recap my birthday celebrations from the weekend. But how funny is that the random number selected after ordering Dinner was - 30!


Guess it was just my destiny. Let's brace for impact as I begin life as a thirtysomething...

Box Full of Letters

Wicked Game

Last night my friends and I were treated to the sultry melodies of Chris Isaak. What can I say about him – he’s dead sexy and his voice oozes with words of desire… Not a bad combination to have at all.

We braved the 100+ Memphis temperatures to picnic at the Live at the Garden event. I believe we were all a bit surprised that last night brought a slight reprieve from the summertime swelter that left us with a pleasant and sans buggy night. Or maybe it was they layer upon layers of bug spray that were applied.

Either way my friends and I filled our stomachs with a fabulous array of picnic items of meats, cheeses, salads, cookies and some adult libations. Our eyes were filled with the sights and sounds of Chris Isaak and the happenings of the picnics that surrounded our little site. And our ears were greeted with such tunes as:

Wicked Game
Two Hearts
Somebody’s Crying
Blue Hotel
Only The Lonely
Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing
San Francisco Days
And more….

It was a sensory overload on all fronts that left my mind and spirit at ease. As the evening cooled into a late night bliss under the stars, I couldn’t have been more pleased the musical and comedic offerings of Mr. Isaak. And I think my friends would agree too:

Say Something

Sweltering Summer Heat

This weekend was eroded by the sweltering summer heat that seems to roll around every August in Memphis. I was just lucky to be able to offset some of hot temperatures by chilling out with some old school pals. I attended a party in Midtown on Friday. This outside gathering (honestly it was a bit steamy) in a well manicured backyard garden provided some good eats, drinks and people to chat with. Unfortunately, I was a tad bit layered in my clothing selection so I quickly started to burn up and look like a tomato (see below).

Other then the party, I really just enjoyed spending quality time with some other fun folks over the weekend. Sushi at Pacific Rim was superb and who can beat a pre-movie trip shopping at Target. Plus there is no better way to beat the summer heat then going to see a movie (seriously – the ticket price alone for the air conditioning is worth the price of admission).

And finally what could be better then chilling at home Sunday with a few surprise guest visits throughout the day. Being greeted by a series of friendly smiles is a sure way stay calm and refreshed to start a new week.

The only other thing that might be better cooler this week while I'm at the office may be my mid-morning ipod shuffle to start the week. Here is the soundtrack to how I've started my morining post meetings:

1. The Authority Song – Jimmy Eat World
2. If It Makes You Happy – Sheryl Crow
3. Without You – Dixie Chicks
4. City of Blinding Lights – U2
5. You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby – The Smiths
6. I Don’t Want To Think About It – Wild Strawberries
7. Nos Da Caraid – David Gray
8. Try Again - Keane
9. Leave This City – The Sundays
10. Different Names For The Same Things – Death Cab For Cutie

Sick of Myself

Catch Me Up

Best of Times, Worst of Times

I’m not going to sugar coat it. Things have been a bit topsy-turvy for me as of late. My emotions have been quite raw. And the smallest things set off chain reactions that seems to send shockwaves to the far reaches of my soul. I could begin to list all these things out for you, but it won’t. It might scare you away. I will just state simply that July really has embodied the best of times and the worst of times.

And now is a time to heal and begin fresh. What I will choose to highlight are some special moments that have passed briefly before me. Things that are now burned into my memory like:


*Long, late night drives to clear my head with no particular destination in mind.
*Support of the greatest group of friends a girl could ask for (who seem to love me unconditionally)
*Unexpected gestures or visits (see pics of flowers from a friend or a visit from Kacey)
*Memories of what once happened and dreams of what are to come
*Long conversations that probe the parties involved of thoughts beyond the surface
*Learning the depths of my new co-workers and appreciating them for the unique perspective/easygoing smiles

These are some of the things that have warmed my heart and ripped my soul wide open all at the same time. I promise though my next post will move back more into a more light-hearted format of what amuses me. And we will continue to explore the special people, places and things that fuel my world.

Lips Like Sugar

Trivia Tuesday

Last night I helped guest host a wicked awesome music round at trivia with my pals Beth & Sam at the P&H.

It MAY only be infamous to us local Memphians, but the P&H is a place I've known well since my high school days. My connection to the P&H started through my co-workers Lori & Todd of the Fine Grind (you may recall it as the coffee shop in the mall that existed before there were 5 Starbucks on Poplar Ave or before it was hip to be called Barista – Anyway I digress). I remember that they would sit and discuss the happenings of Ms. Wanda and the rest of the P&H crowd. They were not just patrons, but fixtures to this establishment like Ms. Wanda and her hat collection. And I'm not ashamed to admit it, but for a while Lori & Todd opened my eyes to the entire cool, hip happenings that reached beyond my East Memphis abode.

I became reacquainted with the P&H when I returned to Memphis. I started playing trivia regularly on Tuesday night with folks from Thompson & Co. As we drank away our brain cells throughout the night, we always seemed to rack up a few points. We even took away a cash prize now and then that covered most of our drinks and food. How can you pass up beers, burgers and brain busters?

Last night however I got to pretend to be an actual host…My round I thought was genius! A round of cover songs. All you needed to do was answer the name of the song, the original artist and the cover artist. Of course there were some naysayers, but overall I thought it was a solid round. I even got a request on the spot to burn them a copy of the killer cover mix. So for you pleasure, here was my trivia round:

Tears of a Clown – Original by: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Covered by: The English Beat
Love Song – Original: The Cure, Covered by:311
More Than This – Original: Roxy Music, Covered by:10,000 Maniacs
Where Is My Mind – Original: The Pixies, Covered by:Placebo
Wonderwall – Original: Oasis, Covered by:Ryan Adams
Panic – Original: The Smiths, Covered by:Pete Yorn
Hazy Shade Of Winter – Original: Simon & Garfunkel, Covered by:The Bangles
Against All Odds – Original: Phil Collins, Covered by:Postal Service
Breaking Us In Two – Original: Joe Jackson, Covered by:Mandy Moore
Baker Street – Original: Gerry Rafferty, Covered by:Foo Fighters
Solitary Man – Original: Neil Diamond, Covered by:Chris Isaak
Wild Horses – Original: Rolling Stones, Covered by:The Sundays

And we'll all float on…

If there was an application to be a professional pool floater, I would so be all over filling out an application for that gig! Yesterday, I found myself enjoying something I don’t get to do that often anymore – relaxing in the pool & poolside. And as an added bonus, I was not escorting any children. This meant I was able to utilize my free swim for indulging in sheer pleasure of floating on a raft in piece. No need for spending the afternoon as the human jungle gym or supervising monkey like behavior in any way, shape or form.

It was just me, a few friends, a vacation friend’s pool, some awesome music (courtesy of some of my killer mix cds) and a vast assortment of tropical smoothie smoothies. All we had to do was show up and soak up some sun*.

What a lackadaisical way to celebrate the passing of another 4th of July. My only wish was that the dream like state of yesterday could have lasted for the a few more days. It was a hard reality check heading back into the office this morning.

*My only regret was not applying enough sun screen, I got a tad bit scorched by the warm rays

Adventures of the Wandering Moose

It's been far too long since I updated my blog, but honestly I finally settling back into some sense of a routine. I know this last statement may sound like an excuse, but I truth be told I've really immersed myself into learning the ropes in my new environment. I've been on the job for about a month now and things are going well thus far. And within the first two weeks I ventured up to NYC & CT for a family wedding. This will be the main subject for today's blogcast.

I made it to NYC late on Friday night and got back to Memphis on the early morning red-eye Tuesday am. Upon arrival I headed straight to the office and haven't looked back. Needless to say you don't really need to know every last detail of my trip, it's hardly worth telling...But here are some of the highlights from the trip:

*Cool breezes & late night chats/people watching from my uncle's deck on the upper west side.
*Long, wandering roads in western CT with limited access to the rest of the world.
*Adult libations to help ease the tension at the large family gatherings.
*Country weddings kept short, dogs actively participating as ring the bearer and dancing on shoeless in the grass.
*Eating lunch with friend in a quintessential New England town beside a covered bridge and gazing at the river (See Adventures of the Wandering Moose).
*Spending a lazy afternoon in the Sheep Meadow of Central Park chatting up yet another friend.
*Dinner & Dessert in the upper west side (See Crumbs).
*Shopping at an actual Kiehl's store.
*Random encounters & people watching on the Subway with my Ipod soundtrack.
*The Natural History Museum dioramas
*Happy Hour at Carmine's with an old college buddy.

Good times, I tell ya, Good times! Here are some pics of my Adventures at the Wandering Moose Cafe, the views of the covered bridge across the street & Cupcakes with Jess:






Sorry to disappointment all who may have tuned in who thought I might blog about today's release of the new Apple Iphone. Don't worry there might be some editorial from me about it after I talk to my sister's boyfriend who camped out for his new phone/music player/portable browser today.

Another Nail In My Heart

Ok, so today didn't go exactly as I planned. It started off quite nice. Met a friend for some coffee before work. (Always a nice to be with a friendly face before the rough and tumble of a working day.)

Then I accomplished a lot of little tasks in the morning, before heading off to run errands for Operation Feed (a work fundraiser for the Memphis Area Food Bank) at lunch. Unfortunately when I got to my first destination, I ran into my mom who asked "When were you in an accident?"

To my surprise I said, "What Accident?"

So per her direction I pulled into Saddle Creek and surveyed my damages. To my horror my car had indeed been dinged. In fact whoever hit me had sideswiped my car in the same place where my neighbor had hit my a few months before. Twice in one year my car gets nailed while being patiently parked & empty. Inconceivable!!!

At least I was able to easily resolve the situation the first time with my neighbor to get the car repaired. This time I didn't even get the common courtesy of a note. I'm honestly saddened and a bit irritated that someone thinks it's ok to hit a car (especially mine) and run off.

But then again, I'm not surprised. I just wish people wouldn't run away from responsibility or accountability in situations like what happened to me today. Then again, I may be asking too much of people in society. It certainly won’t change who I am and the things I do for others because of the incident. Yet right now I can say with this fresh wound I’m fully disappointed in my fellow man.

I wouldn't spend my life just wishing

As of late I’ve been a musical rut. It probably has something to do with the fact I went to see Walrus* this past weekend. Or maybe it’s a symptom of starting a new job. But the truth is I find comfort in music. I’ll admit that I’m a bit addicted to Sirius Satellite 22 (Classic Alt-Rock) when I’m at home, but boy do I wish I had it in my car. And practically every playlist on my ipod is filled with some Alt-Rock offering.

To make a long story short I’ve been wired with the gift of listening to some good tunes. I just sure wish that I were talented enough to produce some musical genius myself. But I shouldn't spend my life just wishing and leave it to the professionals (or at least my good friends who are musicians)…

*A fun Memphis 80s/Early 90s Alt-Rock Band

So Alive

Unemployed but not for long...

So I began my stint of being unemployed on Friday, May 18, 2007. And I'm not going to lie it's been quite enjoyable. It's funny how a little time off can do you a bit of good. I've been able to catch up on many weeks of missed sleep.

I also ventured out of state to Chicago to visit my sister. Let me say it was quite the adventure. Sarah (who is also unemployed) and I made a quick little jaunt up to Windy City. It was packed with many memories to fill a lifetime. And good thing Sarah was such a sport for a riding the Ferris Wheel (once) at Navy Pier and braving a car ride with my sister and I all over the city. The trip was packed with all the shopping, sights, laughs and many a wonderful filling meals that you could pack into 72-hours.
Since my return from Chi-town, I've been able to start the massive CLEAN-UP effort on my house and spend time with friends. And everything was going on track for a great time off, until I waylaid myself with a back strain. Please note that futon mattresses look heavier then they appear.

So since the great mattresses move of Memorial Day weekend 2007, I've been laid up on the couch watching bad TV and movies. I even consulted Dr. Lisa who confirmed that my self-diagnosis treatment of rest, icy/hot and Advil would lead me down the path of recovery. And this rehabilitation sequence needs to make a miraculous resurgence since my unemployment is coming to a rapid end this Friday, June 1st.

Mr. T says...

"Treat your mother right!"

Happy Mother's Day!

Stolen

Beale Street Musicfest 2007

Memphis in May…Beale St. Music Festival…World Championship BBQ Contest…The Sunset Symphony. All the events intended to salute and highlight a country recognized by the city of Memphis. All being highlighted in hottest, stickiest and rainiest month in the mid-south! This year we are saluting Spain, but the reality this event usually only captures 3 things key concepts:

1. Music
2. Food/Drink
3. Mud

I mean Memphis in Mud is always an exciting spectacle. The people watching alone could send you into a sensory overload. Yesterday I ventured downtown in a slight drizzle for the last day of musicfest. Besides seeing the likes of Guster, The Barenaked Ladies and Corinne Bailey Rae. I was treated to some wonders to surely behold.

I saw a nice fellow who was shirtless. He was kind enough to not just tidy his chest hair by waxing it away. No, no he really wanted to make a statement, so he shaped his chest hair like a yellow smiley sticker. Enough said – the site was branded in my brain.

Then there was the little girl who was cleansing herself in the mud, yards away from her mother. Now I know lots of folks who pay good money to get covered in mud at the spa. But this was no ordinary mud – it was mud created, by rain, spit, spilled beverages and who knows what. I fear that kid might now be toxic. My suggestion would be to quickly get her some shots or at least a flea dip – stat!
I also ran into or saw countless kids that I’ve known since they were small children, who are now running around by themselves enjoying the festivities. And then we had our close encounter to Ed Robertson (lead singer of The Barenaked Ladies) who brushed past us not just once but twice!

Truly it’s just a surreal event where people of all ages converge to listening to music, gorge themselves on fair food or become entwined in the exhibition. Let’s just be grateful it’s an event where gawking, dancing in the mud and singing at the top of your lungs is approved and recommended!

Top Nine Live Songs from Beale St. Music Festival I heard yesterday:
1. Fa Fa – Guster
2. C’mon – Guster
3. Brazil – Guster
4. Satellite - Guster
5. Brain Wilson – The Barenaked Ladies
6. Break Your Heart – The Barenaked Ladies
7. Straw Hat And Old Dirty Hank – The Barenaked Ladies
8. Pinch Me – The Barenaked Ladies
9. Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae

One Man Wrecking Machine

Cannonball

This song is reminder of the old 96x, learning to drive, sophomore year and two-a-day summer soccer practices. Now it’s once again permanently stuck in the rotation of my mind after hearing the opening riff at trivia last night. It also is a reminder of Jan’s old default ring tone. I’m so in need of a new tune to distract me from this last splash…

Strawberry Fields Forever

Like all good things in life, some things are best shared or revealed by your friends. And that’s exactly how I was introduced to the downtown Memphis Farmers Market. My good pal Jess spent a year in town clerking for a judge and living downtown. Now she’s back to hustle and bustle of NYC.

But during her time here we took many trips around the city where I introduced her to some of my favorite people, place and things in Memphis. And she of course lured me downtown for some unexpected adventures too. One of my favorites memories of Jess living in Memphis has to be her fondness for The Cheesecake Corner, The Arcade and the Memphis Farmers Market.

The Cheesecake Corner and The Arcade were old hat to me after working downtown, but the open air market at the old train station - now that was an adventure. I had previously visited farmers markets in NYC, Kansas, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and the small one at Agrocenter in East Memphis.

But never had I been to such fun and inviting farmers market experience. And it was found here in Memphis - bonus! It’s nice to have an outdoor market that offers fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, jams and more. The family friendly atmosphere offers more then just fresh food. It offers music, entertainment and human interaction. The weeks are always highlighted by a weekly theme that supports the delicious goods being produced by local Mid-South farmers.

This week “Strawberry Fields Forever” theme promises lots and lots of fresh scrumptious strawberries. I’m hoping to be able to venture down there to indulge in some fresh berries. Anyone care to join me?

Summer Skin

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

I believe Jack Johnson states it best in “The 3 R's” song from the Curious George Soundtrack:
“We’ve got to learn to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”
It amazing to me how easy many people and places have made it for us to recycle, but “we the people” as a whole don’t take advantage of these opportunities. And many of us our guilty, including myself (on occasion), of finding it easier to ignore the FREE resources put in front of us.

For starters Memphis has had curbside recycling program in the city of Memphis since the mid-80s. Growing up my family home was selected as a test-market neighborhood, which supported the recycling project. I was lucky enough to be old enough to tote our bin back and forth from the curb every Wednesday. And it taught me just how easy it was for one family to care enough about the environment to use the bin to recycle our bottles, cans and newspapers.

The streets and recyclable pick-up days may have changed, but my parents are still faithful to the habit of recycling. And when I purchased my house the first question I asked the former owner was when recycling & trash were collected on my block.

And during this school year our religious school is collecting aluminum cans for recycling. In exchange for the money earned from recycling, the kids are able to purchase animals through Heifer International. These gifts help struggling communities worldwide fight hunger and poverty, while continuing the mission of caring for the earth.

My hope is that the kids will take away how recycling can benefit not just us, but those around the world.

My latest adventure in recycling came this past weekend. For the first time ever I attempted to rid myself of some of my E-Waste. It did not go quite as smoothly as I would have anticipated. I thought it would be easy, but after some additional information I was able to clear all the obstacles and dispose of my old dead Ipod and defunct laptop battery. I think we probably as whole don’t realize how much waste we really generate, until we seek out solutions on how to dispose of those electronic gadgets.

If you have concerns check out the manufacturer who created your product or find a local electronic recycling drop off center. But please don’t just toss it in your curbside bin. It will just sit in that landfill for… WELL FOREVER.

Or donate your outdated equipment to your favorite charity. They might be able to turn that obsolete cell phone or computer equipment into recycled non-profit cash.

Again, we should all head Jack’s words:

“If you’re going to the market to buy some juice
You’ve got to bring your own bags and you learn to reduce your waste

And if your brother or your sister’s got some cool clothes
You could Try them on before you buy some more of those
Reuse, we’ve got to learn to reuse

And if the first two R’s don’t work out And if you’ve got to make some trash
Don’t throw it out
Recycle, we’ve got to learn to recycle,

We’ve got to learn to
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”

Where My Peeps At?

Now that Easter has come and gone all that remains our the precious peeps (which are NOW in the 1/2 price bin) next to the broken chocolate bunnies...

Of course some folks were up to the challenge of not just eating, but also playing with their peeps this year! And the Washington Post threw down the gauntlet with their first-ever Sunday Source Peeps Diorama Contest. The peep show really brought a grin to my face and I hope it will brighten your day too!

Below is a picture of my favorite scene titled:

"Say Anything: I Gave Her My Heart, She Gave Me a Peep"By Julia Morse
But don't take my word for it. Check out these Masterpeepers for yourself. Thanks to KCJ for directing me to this little afternoon pick me up. My only hope is to make others have a good old fashion giggle with my peeps.

Going To The Zoo...

Well I headed to the zoo again to FREE Cranbeary, unfortunately she's still sacked out in the animal hospital recovering. And since it was Easter Sunday and quite slow, I decided to rethink my escape escapades. My friend Sarah (a.k.a. - my twin) and I decided to pal up with the Pandas, before heading over to visit Payton & Haley. All the animals seemed to be living the laid back life on this fine Sunday morning. Anyway, it probably would look way to obvious if I tried to escort a large white bear from the grounds. Here are some picture from our visit with some musical captions...

Sleeping In - The Postal Service
Get Up - R.E.M.
Here With Me - Dido
Hospital Food - David Gray
Hands Open - Snow Patrol

Life On A Chain

I came across this video of Pete Yorn shot at his Memphis concert last November. It made me laugh out loud remembering our night with Pete at the New Daisy. I believe this video was shot by the smelly fellow that was standing quite close to us that night. Which could only mean that you can hear me straining/singing along with Pete. And you might actually hear the crazy girl that was standing near us screaming "I WANT YOUR HAT!"

Fantastic Fabulous

"Marriage. Marriage is what brings us together today."
-The Princess Bride

I have to say this weekend was fantastic fabulous! I was able to share most of the weekend celebrating my friend Lisa & Dave’s wedding. It was definitely a grand Weddingpalooza extravaganza that brought people in from around the country and France.

The bride who is a childhood friend of mine, looked amazing – you couldn't wipe off that smile on her face if you tried. And Dave is such a sweet and caring guy. You can see how they balance each other within minutes of being around them both. I wish them the best of luck as they begin their new journey together.

The other fantastic thing about Lisa’s wedding was that it brought together so many folks from her various stages of life thus far. I was ecstatic to celebrate her simcha with her, but also it gave me an excuse to catch up with old pals from religious school, jr./sr. high school, camp and college. And as I get older the divide that separated me from the rest of the world seems to shrink considerably. I’m constantly reminded how small the world is, through the levels of connections we have between people. This wedding is a reminder that we really do live in world filled with 6 degrees of separation. And these connections, re-connections and encounters really make life blissful.

All You Need Is, All You Want Is...

5 Thizzles You Ought To Know for Friday – 3.23.07

1. March Madness – Just like the mighty Mississippi, the basketball madness just keeps rolling along. And anyone with a pulse would have to admit it, these games do not disappoint. KU guts out a gritty win against SIU to make it to the Elite 8. Breezing past Niagara and Kentucky in Round 1 was the easy part, now boys – Let’s take the hill! Memphis pulls in another big win against Texas A&M and makes school history. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT BACK-TO-BACK Elite 8s for the TIGERS – Go Tigers Go. As you might guess I’m only a smidge happy to be able to keep Rock Chalking along this weekend!

2. Mr. Smith Goes to Minnesota – I woke up this morning to news that Tubby was leaving Kentucky for colder pastures. I feel really bad for the next person to enter Rupp Arena as head coach for the wildcats. They expect perfection every year during tourney time, while the pretty people sit back, watch the game and down another mint julep. And Tubby’s winning style and dedication to his players should please the Golden Gopher faithful. It’s the little touches that make Tubby Smith a stellar college coach and all around good guy.

3. Britney’s out of Rehab – The bald beauty is back on the mean streets after "successfully completing" a stint in rehab. I for one will be sleeping easier, knowing Britney is back in the public eye. And I’m just curious about what she will do next. I’ll admit it – she’s like a train wreck, you don’t really want to watch, but you just can’t seem to turn your head away.

4. Pet Food Recall - It was revealed that Rat Poison was the containment in many major brands of pet food. It's very scary to think the food you purchase could possibly cause kidney failure of your favorite four-legged friend. My condolences to those out there who lost their pets during this incident. I'm just lucky I choose to feed the Parkster hippie, organic dog food made in California. But that still doesn't stop him from the occasional lasagna he finds at Shelby Farms or the massive amounts of chicken he consumes as mid-day snack from my step-dad.

5. Movies - Why are there so many mediocre flicks out in the theater right now? Seriously, it's downright depressing the lack of visual or thought-provoking stimulation provided so far this year by the movie industry. I guess it's a good thing there is a lot of engaging action in March Madness.

Well that's the 5 Thizzles You Ought To Know for the week. Check back soon and TGIF!

Rallying Behind Yet Another Polar Bear

This proves one thing – I’m a sucker for those cute, white polar bears! Yes, I’m quite aware that some of these animals grow up to be vicious carnivores, but when they are small they just seem so DARN CUTE! And as they get larger they still look pretty DARN CUTE. They seem like such wonderful creatures to visit and observe.

This week however has been a very controversial time for the Berlin Zoo. They’ve been keeping a baby polar bear (Knut) alive by feeding and caring for it after it’s mother rejected the young cub and his brother (who didn’t make it). Normally zoos in Germany let these animals live by the law of nature (and do nothing), but not in this case. The Berlin keeper sleeps, feeds and even strummed him some Elvis Presley tunes (yep there is always a Memphis connection). "Cute Knut" as he was dubbed by the press earlier this week has really become somewhat of a celebrity polar bear. He's even had a photo session with famous entertainment photographer Annie Leibovitz. So what’s not to love about our new furry pal…

2008 Presidential Predictions

Got to love Chris Rock's 2008 Presidential predictions he viewed on SNL on Saturday night. Definitely had me in stitches, but check it out for yourself:

Rachiley Bloggy Blog – What Thizzles Should I Know?

To increase my posting percentage for 2007, I was thinking about adding the following weekly or bi-monthly post to my blog. It would be sort of a way to capture either top stories/current happenings in my life or around the world that I may wish to share with ya’ll. Post in the comments and let me know if you think this item should stay or go?!?

5 Thizzles You Ought To Know for Friday –3.16.07

1. Daily Light Savings Time – I hate losing that hour of sleep in the beginning, but I love the extra hour to play outside after work in spring/summer. Does the extra hours of sun help decrease our energy costs? I’m not so sure. Does it increase my level of happiness? Definitely!

2. March Madness – Basketball at it’s finest and lots of it! People of all ages and even those who normally don’t even get into sports become basketball experts in March. Picks are made, money is bet and families are divided. Then everyone sits back to watch drama unfold and brackets bust. Not a bad idea Mr. Phog Allen (of KU), not a bad idea at all. My only wish for this March is a little Rock Chalk Happiness!

3. Edmund Ford & MLGW – SHAME ON YOU EDMUND for not paying either of your Light, Gas & Water bills which equate to roughly $13,300. Do you think your special? Newsflash your NOT! I’ll bring you by a candle and a box of saltines if you’re running that low on cash. Or better yet, why don’t you borrow from another Ford family member.

PS – MLGW, you in particular disgust me for allowing this to even occure. Pardon my french, but WHAT THE F*%$! If I didn’t pay my bill for months you would be leaving me in the dark for at least a week. Then make ME patiently wait between a window of 7am-10pm for your arrival to reconnect my utilities as I pay in cash from now until eternity.

Seriously dude, pay you’re freaking bill and MLGW, stop this type of madness because I’m tired of it being the top story of every newscast.

4. October Road – Am I sucker or what for new television shows? The dialogue was extra cheesy - “I think you forgot what side of October Road you belong!” And the plot is super predictable, but who doesn’t like a little brainless filler now and then.

5. Wikipedia Revives Sinbad – like Rodney Dangerfield some comedians can’t get any respect, not even in cyberspace. Here’s hoping you can extend this publicity into at least a made for TV movie or a few more comedy shows.

Ok, that's all folks...Remember post your comments and let me know if you think this should be a keeper. TGIF!

Day Filled with Fun - Part Duex

The second 1/2 of my day started off with the hustle and bustle of lunch downtown. One of my most favorite things I miss about working downtown is going to Calgary’s Waffle Shop during lent. Even though I don’t share the same religion, I appreciate the spiritual uplifting they bring to downtown year after year with their preaching series and lunches.

The waffle shop raises money to support their outreach ministry program. What a great way to celebrate with community by providing spiritual and substantial nourishment. Although there wasn’t a lunchtime speaker on Wednesday, Sarah and I definitely enjoyed chatting with the folks at our table about religion, weather and the delicious food being served. What could be better then fresh homemade waffles and sausages?

After we bid farewell to our new friends from church, we headed back toward the car with every intention to head back out east to the spa. But as we walked down the street we noticed the Memphis Fire Museum on the next block. Immediately we both became distracted/intrigued by the prospect of seeing a fire truck.



The museum did not disappoint. We spent at least an hour touring the museum and learning about fire safety. I think the highlight of the tour for me was either “Billy” the talking old firehouse horse or the “Fire Room.” We were told before the start of the demonstration that this exhibit was not for the faint of heart.

The “Fire Room” simulated in a safe environment what it’s like to be in a real fire. It included very, very dark room, heat, a movie covering a whole wall, smoke behind a glass and orange strobe lighting. We were also lucky to experience this room with 15 screaming kids from Fireside Temple Daycare of Memphis.

Lessons learned from the fire museum:
1. Stop, Drop & Roll!
2. Don’t play with matches or lighters!
3. Rethink visiting the “Fire Room” with small children

Finally we rounded out our day with an afternoon of beauty. Sarah selected a Facial, Scalp Treatment and a Swedish Massage. I went with a Facial and Hot Stone Massage. I believe in the future I can live without the facial, but what I wouldn’t give to have a Hot Stone Masseuse at my beck and call. Seriously the combination of heat + massage= one loose goose!

The day ended with an impromptu happy hour at YaYa’s and a fleeting rainstorm. What a marvelous way to spend the day! Now it's time to keep my head back in the game for the rest of the week.

Plan to Free Cran/Day Filled with Fun

Today started out unlike any other Wednesday – I took the DAY OFF! I know surprise, surprise I ventured out of the norm to relax and have fun. My plan actually started small and simple with a request for a day off.

Then I decided to ask my friend Sarah to join me since she was off all week from student teaching. Our sole plan was to try to utilize some spa gift certificates we both had received over the holidays (ya know way back in December 06).

But then during a planning phase earlier this week Sarah presented the zoo option (of course I was only interested if weather permitted) at first. This simple act turned me onto the discovery of Cranbeary’s (the polar bear) injuries, which made the trip a “must do activity” for our Wednesday outing.

To be honest I wasn’t sure the weather would hold, but I got up bright and early ready to head to the zoo – rain or shine. I so wanted to spring Cran from zoo hospital.

When we got there I decided to actually buy a membership. I figured why not – I live pretty close, you get such a pleasant walk and I can visit all my favorite animals now whenever I wanted. As an added bonus - it’s tax deductible :-) Only problem after I paid for the membership Sarah noticed a sign that revealed the Polar Bears would not be out in their habitat today. I was sad, but with the weather clearing we decided to spend the morning tooling around the zoo anyway.

First we checked out Cat Country. Then we encountered a “spring break camp” that was learning about Hippos – what they eat and dung wars (I kid you not, this was discussed in the same sentence. e-mail me for more details). Then we watched the keeper feed both Julie and Splash. Here is a picture of splash enjoying some fresh cantaloupe:


Next we walked over to see the giant pandas. They are so darn cute! And today was extra special because Le Le was OUTSIDE. I’ve come to the zoo maybe 8 or 9 times since the pandas arrived, but NEVER have I seen them out of their glass enclosures. Of course all Le Le was doing was eating, but she was outside and now I have proof.


Finally, even though I knew Payton & Haley would not be on display we headed to the Northwest Passage exhibit. I went to sit and mope in front of the polar bear display while Sarah checked out the gift shop. When she found me on the bench, she mentioned that the polar bears would be in their habitat for feeding @ 1pm. Next thing I know I looked up and I saw a large white bear walking around. I said it out loud and started pointing like a 5-year old. A lady in front of me said, “Sugar, the polar bears aren’t coming out today.” I looked her square in the face and said, “Well then what is that?!?” She turned to look and next thing I knew she was hollering for all her kids to come join her to watch Payton.

It got really crowded, really quick so we walked out. Sarah drifted over to chat/flirt with a zookeeper. I joined her a minute later after looking at Payton from another angle. Turns out that keeper works with Cranbeary. He gave us a full update and probably TO MUCH INFORMATION, because by the end of my visit/interrogation I had a pretty good idea of where Cranbeary was located within the zoo property. But he did also give me earful about how Payton was getting a raw deal in this story.


Upon hearing the dialogue from the keeper I decided it would probably be best to let Cranbeary heal without my help. She’s already got Smith & Nephew plates and screws now holding her together. The keeper did mention the bear is putting weight on her hind leg, which is a good sign. Plus now as a member I could come visit whenever I get the urge.

Our time at zoo came to a rapid close when Sarah and I both realized it was time to grab a bit lunch. And let’s face it, eating at the zoo with wafting smell was just not an option. Stay tuned for tomorrow to recap the second 1/2 of the day.

Dedicated to the one I love...

Ok, not really the one I love, love but actually something I love - Cranbeary the 5-year old Polar Bear living at the Memphis Zoo. Our paths first crossed last spring when I took the day off from work and headed out to the zoo. I was drawn to the Northwest Passage exhibit at zoo and I immediately feel in love with Cranbeary & The Polar Pals. The polar bears playful swam, tussled or slept on the rocks while I observed with the rest of the crowd. Her massive paw touched the glass where my hand laid, almost as if she was giving me a high-five*. I wanted to take Cranbeary home, but I was told “no, no time to see the rest of the animals.”


I saw dear Cranbeary featured a few times on local billboards or in the newspaper, but didn’t have a chance to revisit in person. Apparently though she had a pushed beyond the edge courtship in February 2007. So now she’s under lock & key recovering from surgery in a private suite.


I guess prepping stuff 24/7 for work in February really left me in the dark. So now I’d like to send a speedy recovery to my friend Cranbeary with a heart felt Ipod Shuffle Mix below. Or you can send her a get-well greeting too.

Cranbeary’s Speedy Recovery, I will Not Hold It Against You Payton Mix:

1. Summer Daze – Luscious Jackson
2. Splendid Isolation – Pete Yorn
3. Qu’avons-nous fair – Autour De Lucie
4. Your Eyes Open – Keane
5. So I Can Love You – The Emotions
6. Juarez – Tori Amos
7. Need You Tonight – INXS
8. Take What You Take – Lilly Allen
9. Island In The Sun – Weezer
10. Girlfriend In A Coma – The Smiths
11. Cool Jerk – The Go-Go’s
12. Simon Says – The Central Standards
13. All You Need Is Love – The Beatles
14. Circle – Sarah McLachlan
15. She Don’t Use Jelly – The Flaming Lips

*A bit of creative licensing with may have been taken in recollecting my first Cranbeary encounter from last year.

Bracketology '07

The thrill of March Madness has just begun. The weekend was filled with a prelude of NCAA tournament action, which starts this Thursday. I watched in anticipation as my beloved KU took on OU and K-State before reaching the Big 12 finals against Texas.

The Texas rematch looked well…UGLY in the beginning. Everything that could go wrong was going wrong for the Jayhawks in the first half. The shots didn’t seem to fall and Durant looked impermeable. All of a sudden KU was down by 22 points. I sat stunned into silence, hoping someone, ANYONE on the KU squad would take the game into their hands. Of course no one did, instead the KU played as a team. They showcased their tough defense, unselfishly passed the rock and kept taking shots. The hard work paid off as KU began to slowly chip away at the Texas lead.

Texas literally looked worn out and tired in the second half. Durant seemed winded and sometimes confused. And KU just kept just played it cool as a team, even when every hard foul and every possession seemed like a dire straight just to get back ti even. Finally KU took a brief lead with under 10 minutes left only to watch the lead evaporate to a back and forth game until the final minute. In the final 30 seconds it looked as if Texas might pull out the victory, but again KU stayed calm. After a Texas couldn’t capitalize on both free throws to seal the game, KU went down the court and tied it all up with a 3 that was nothing but net.

You could have called the game then and there. You could feel the excitement in the air - THIS IS MARCH MADNESS! We had Texas on the ropes, they were running on fumes and overtime would surely be the final nail in the coffin.

KU emerged at the end of OT victorious. Big 12 Regular Season Champs, Big 12 Tournament Champs and minutes later the #1 seed in the West of NCAA Road to the Final 4 Tournament.
Officially I’d consider myself just a passive Bracketologist in March/April, but I would have to warn all those in the path of KU right.

Get ready to be rock chalked!

I’m predicting that a phog will be rolling into a city near you. It’s hard for me not to predict seeing KU in Atlanta in April. KU is intact, hungry and ready to continue rolling over the competition.

Conspiracy of Happiness

Sometimes you can feel so alive by the people and things that surround you. Then there are the occasions where you run into people or see things that make you feel as if you’re trapped inside a conspiracy of happiness.

In my case the last few weeks have definitely been a rough & tumble time of trying to comprehend/digest the balance of my true self vs. what is being perceived upon me. I was out and about last night when I heard the Duncan Sheik song “On A High” that was on a really old mix cd I made for some friends. It really did spark a correlation to some of the emotions I have been feeling as of late.

Maybe I should start off my day like Stuart Smalley or Duncan in his "On a High" music video!

Why Don't You Get Lost In Amsterdam

It's hard to believe that 6 months ago today I was getting lost in AMSTEREDAM. Ahh, good times, very good times! Here is a little Guster to get the memories flowing. Although I was without my Ipod during the trip, this song was definitely running on a constant loop in my mind and occasionally seeping out of my mouth as I wandered around the city.

1 Dot, 2 Bam, 3 Crack...Challah MAHJONG!

I I don't want to start off this blog with something that sounds like an ethnic joke, but it might seem to sound that way. What one thing do Chinese people and Jewish Women of all ages take passion and pride in?

No, no it's not the food, but I'm thinking that would actually come in a close second. I know you might be thinking since we tend to share Christmas Day with Chinese folks, we are like kindred spirits. And I believe we are, but not with a food feeding frenzy (sorry J, I know how much you live for your daily Asian food intake).

I believe our true passion and kinship is connected through a little game, centuries old, called - Mahjong!

1 Dot, 2 Bam, 3 Crack...Challah MAHJONG!

Honestly I’ve known about the game since I was a little tyke. My mom has always had a regular Mahjong night, even if that did mean it changed from Monday to Thursday, before settling back on Wednesday night. The cast of players became revolving door of people joining the group, quitting the group and eventually rejoining.

And all along I became this mostly silent observer of a weekly ritual that looked more like a opportunity/excuse to gossip, get away from the kids, husbands and the rest of the world for a couple of hours. I even attempt in elementary school or jr. high to learn the game so I could be “a seat filler” when folks took a break. My reasoning was to do the following:

1. stay up maybe an hour later then I was supposed to
2. eat some delicious snacks that were prepared or bought when my mom hosted the games
3. listen to what I thought was adult conversation (needless to say looking back it was never anything I cared about anyway)

So I learned to play Mahjong and did for a year or so, even getting my own player card. Before promptly realizing I had better things to do with my adolescent time.

And that’s where I left the game of Mahjong for many, many years. It was that game that, “My Mom plays every Wednesday night.”

That was until last night, where I gave it another go. I sat down with Jewish women across the age range, learning to play their game of choice. I struggled with the first two hands as I tried to focus and equate it to Gin Rummy, which provided disastrous results.

Finally I got that epiphany of what game everyone else was playing. I started to follow along and actually started enjoying myself – Go figure. I guess that point was driven home when I woke from a deep sleep dreaming of Mahjong patterns. Who knows if I will be addicted to the game as much as the Chinese, my mom or some of the other Jewish women that surround me, but I’m not going to lie – my curiosity has been stirred.

Furry Happy Monsters

Why can't the rest of life be so simple and pleasant as the Muppet Show. In the immortal words of Michael Stipe - ""Come on monsters, you don't have to cry... we can be HAPPY...YEAH!"

Weddingpalooza

The year of 2007 shall now be deemed WEDDINGPALOOZA. You see I’ve already received 6 wedding invitations that span over the next 4 months. I’ve been quite comfortable over the last two years attending a wedding here or there, but with so many so close to each other this might call for additional evening wear. Ok, these occasions definitely call for additional evening wear especially since many folks WILL BE crossover engagements.

It just kind of amazes me that there seems to be to wave of weddings of my friends as of late, but I guess there is an ebb and flow cycle for these events too.

My last big wave of weddings was about 3-4 years ago. I definitely spent a lot of time traveling the wedding circuit (and utilizing my frequent flyer miles) to attend weddings of old friends, new friends, and family. Occasionally I even had to decline some invitations because weddings fell on the same day, were in too exotic of locations or it conflicted with family commitments. What I can say though is that many of those marriages I witnessed or miss out on have proved to be fruitful producing many a bouncing baby girl or boy.

The weddings on my future agenda will each have their own special meaning. I will watch friends from elementary school, high school, coworkers (past and present) and friends from various other stages of my life brave a new-fangled frontier with folks who’ve engaged them in the game of their lives.

I wish them all the best of luck and the ability to continue to spread the joy/love that they’ve shed onto my life into their future nuptials. And who knows maybe this weddingpalooza will bring me something new, borrowed or blue.

The Future of My Digital Rights

As most of ya'll know I'm a music fanatic, but did you know I occasionally am an Apple freak. I love my powerbook and my various evolutions of Ipods. Don't get me wrong you can do pretty much everything on a PC too, but Apple is just so, dare I say it, user friendly!

My Apple products have always been easy and fast to use. And I'm never really worried about it catching some sort of crazy virus (that PC always seem to encounter) either. Plus Apple is SO creative about their products and how they go about launching them. Indeed they are a marketing machine/dream to aspire to be…

But unfortunately things might start to get real ugly, real quick for Apple and Itunes over digital rights management. This involves my favorite subject – MUSIC. Digital Rights Management (also referred to in the media industry as DRM) is the process that Apple and other companies use to a. license the music we download from big music companies and b. controls how we use that music once it’s been downloaded.

In lay terms this means that once the music is purchased and downloaded, that music downloaded (MP4 file) can only play it on a certain number of computers and/or burn it to a an audio CD a certain number of times.

Apple in my humble opinion seems to have done a very ethical and fair job of DRM. They’ve been fair to the big music companies and artists with the licensing agreements for the music. I’m just sad they can’t license everything out there (see some people don’t want to play fair still).

Plus the consumers are winning too. You can download exactly what you want - one song or the whole album. Gone are the days of buying an entire album just to listen to track #4 (again and again).

All this being said, I’m not trying to advertise or promote the use of Itunes. I’m just trying to get us all to contemplate the benefits of how they manage their current DRM and the effects this could have on our future downloading habits. I believe it’s an interesting debate with our current growth toward technology.

Who knows where it will lead to, but let me know your thoughts. Or you can check out what Mr. Steve Jobs has to say about this subject...

February is…NO FUN!!!

Yes, the BLOG duties were neglected for one week! See I admit it, some things are easier said then done, especially when you’re dealing with those darn new years resolutions. If you're keeping a scorecard on my resolutions or other things in my life, check out the my list of other ignored items off my to do list from last week:

• Sweep the house
• Make the bed
• Unload and load the dishwasher (that sink gets full awfully fast)
• Pay bills
• Return rented movies
• Return phone calls/e-mails

But really, who's counting during this month? What's a girl like me to do when February rolls in and chaos consumes my waking hours! First off this month shortchanges us a few days to complete any and all tasks.

Secondly my current position is the equivalent to racehorse being pumped full of steroids to win the race. It always starts out with good intentions of just finishing the race first, but inevitably it leaves the workhorse crippled, strung out and flailing as the finish line becomes visible. And the finish may not always be graceful, but eventually the pressure of the race does subside.

This faltering feeling leads to my hesitation to fully embrace the month of February. So just try and trot out Puxatawny Phil or those tiny candy hearts to entice me into a better mood. It’s not going to make a dent until February completely unfolds.

I will however jam out to my new power pop/rap mix (which inspired and infused by kids this weekend) :

1. Smile - Lilly Allen
2. My Love – Justin Timberlake featuring T.I.
3. Irreplaceable – Beyonce
4. I Wanna Love You – Akon featuring Snoop Dogg
5. Me & U – Cassie
6. Ridin’ – Chamillionaire & Krayzie Bone
7. Through the Wire – Kayne West
8. Run It – Chris Brown
9. Bills, Bills, Bills - Destiny’s Child
10. You Make Me Wanna – Usher
11. Sabotage – Beastie Boys
12. Can’t Get You Out Of My Head – Kylie Minogue
13. Pump It – Black Eyed Peas
14. Tipsy – J-Kwon
15. Can I Get A…- Jay-Z

NPR Morning Musings

This morning as I drove into work, I was listening to NPR. They always have a number of stories that seem to pique my interest, even on the days where I’m hesitant to let anything penetrate or percolate in my mind before a reasonable hour of 9am or at least one cup of coffee. Today was no exception, so now matter how hard I tried to think I was leaving my world of CD music this morning for a brief update on the news, weather and traffic, I ended up flipping to NPR and staying for my duration of my ride into the office listening to the morning edition.

I was initially sucked in by the story about the history of Motown in comparison to the fictionalized, multi Oscar nominated film Dreamgirls. Where a debate ensued about whether the film was really doing a disservice to the History and Evolution of Motown Sound.

The other story focused on how the U.S. is still very conflicted over many issues that divide us (i.e. class, gender, religion, etc.) in our society, but how Race still seems to out pace all the other characteristics. The story invoked images of Katrina…And even utilized the first stanza of an Emily Dickinson poem to draw comparison:

I’m nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there’s a pair of us—don’t tell!
They ’d banish us, you know.

It’s interesting to me that in the days, weeks and years following numerous celebrations of freedom from many things that we still just keep gravitating toward the same issues of racism. We pretty all start out as nobodies and end up as nobodies, I guess it’s just the filler in between that defines who we used to be…Just a little something to digest and mull over.

We Can’t Work With Out Music…

The brilliance of Ricky Gervais never ceases to amaze me. He cracked me up when I first started watching The Office on BBC America a few years ago. Let’s face it, the original is and will always be awesome (I can rewatch it without hesitation). And the American version of The Office, which Gervias is behind too, still manages to blow me away with fresh original episodes that sometimes hit way to close to home. Seriously we’ve all seen some of these character types in our own workplace.

But honestly I’m the most captivated by his new show Extras, which premiered it’s second season 2 last night on HBO. I’ve waited well over a year for it to come back to TV and it was still worth the wait. The Brits don’t pump out the mass volume of episodes that American sitcoms release during a season. But what they lack in volume they certainly make up in quality.

Name one other show on television that writes hysterical parodies for real life celebrities to act upon. With the guise of being behind the scenes of a movie or tv set, the viewer is treated to a reveal of what these actors are like behind the celebrity through the eyes of the “extras” working with them. Here are examples of a few of my favorite guest star appearances:

Ben Stiller – being the jerk behind the camera.

Kate Winslet – giving tips and fantastic analogies that can be utilized in any phone sex situation.

Orlando Bloom – promoting his dashing good looks, while simultaneously bashing on his Pirates of the Caribbean co-star Johnny Depp for his indie attitude.

Chris Martin – portraying an egotistical self-promoting musician who’s not really the activist we thought he was. In reality of the show he’s simply a man all about self-promotion and payoff for his band Coldplay. Check out the clip below that shows Chris in a new light promoting Coldplay "Greatest Hits Album" to some workers in a factory who can't work without the music:



Seriously, if you’re tired of the drab American comedy that lack substance, give this britcom a try. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with this little gem.

Blinded By Bad Light

So I’m sitting here at work this morning, basking in the rays of the florescent tubes perched above my head/cubicle walls. My thoughts every so often drifting to the phrase I constantly ponder as I sit in my cubicle, repeating – “what’s next?!?”

But my mind keeps drawing blanks. And the humming, sputtering of my computer sends me back into shocking reality. I will remain here, seated calmly until I can find a more suitable means of expressing myself that also provides a slight profit. It’s almost like I’m waiting for that airplane ding to signify, “you’re now free to move about with your life!”

Part of me would love nothing more then to leave cubicle life behind forever. Do something brash and unruly by just walking away. But the realist in me knows that I need to keep somewhat of a level head, until I can figure out my next move.

Because really, what will 2007 bring me on this chilly, rainy January morn? Then I sit back and take a sip of my tea. I shield my eyes from the blinding light and am clearly drawn to the fortune hanging on my tea bag, which states, “Your greatness is measured by your gifts, not your possessions.”

What a great ideal to believe at this moment. What a great ideal to strive for in my life. What a great mindset to venture toward today and tomorrow. To realize that there is a hope of what’s next could really be something to covet. An opportunity to share of my time and myself is probably the greatest gift. And realizing maybe when I stop asking questions I should start truly worrying…

Here is a list of tunes that were the first tunes springing from my Ipod today. Indeed they were helpful in combating this cold, rainy attitude:

1. Walking Out of Stride – Badly Drawn Boy
2. Day Tripper – The Beatles
3. How It Is – Jackopierce
4. How to Save a Life – The Fray
5. Still – Long-View
6. My Stupid Mouth – John Mayer
7. Pop Song 89 – R.E.M.
8. Maggie’s Farm – Bob Dylan
9. Jumpers – Sleater-Kinney
10. Crystal Ball – Keane
11. We Haven’t Turned Around – Gomez
12. I Predict A Riot – Kaiser Chiefs
13. London Bridge – Fergie
14. Shut Down – The Beach Boys
15. Something to Say – The Connells