Cooking Blind

What I Look LIke Now. Some Pics of Babyzilla. Christmas Coats.

2012-01-29T08:57:00.000-08:00

Alas, poor Yorick! SOPA.

2012-01-27T08:45:00.000-08:00

Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy; he hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now? (Hamlet, V.i)
Hamlet's response to the bones of Yorick is beautifully stated. I wonder if we will soon need some kind of special permission to quote the likes of Shakespeare without fear of imprisonment.
*photo borrowed from Wikipedia. If you would like me to remove it, I will gladly do so.

More than one Milk

2012-01-26T10:35:00.000-08:00

I like milk. I'd go so far as to say I REALLY like milk. Not the hormone saturated stuff. Here's some of my favorites:
2% organic
almond milk
coconut milk
2% organic is great for guilt-free shredded wheat/oatmeal, banana-chocolate syrup/ peanut butter shakes (my sister's recipe), or just blended with blueberries & honey.

Almond mild is just plain tasty, and it's a good substitute for regular milk when you're congested (milk aggravates the airways). Cute hubby uses almond milk in his fruit smoothies.
Coconut milk is an excellent substitute for regular milk in hot cocoa.
Almond milk and coconut milk are great substitutions for juice when you're thirsty, too.
There are tons of health benefits to these varieties, too many to list here.
So here's to milk, drink up!

*Photos are not mine, please let me know if you want them removed & I will gladly do so.

Shoes Under $30.00

2012-01-21T14:04:00.000-08:00

All of these shoes are available for under $30.00 at either Make Me Chic or 6 pm (6 pm has free shipping). These are just a sampling, they have lots to choose from. Hurry.

We Got the Beat

2012-01-12T06:37:00.000-08:00

Babyzilla is sitting on a beat box (can't remember what it's really called). You sit on it, and drum. It doesn't get much more simple than that.
Her glasses are purely fashion.

Small Frog, what have you to say for yourself?

2012-01-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

I come to you, knowing that I am at once wretched and sublime.

Fashion. Under $50. E-bay. Funky.

2012-01-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

One of my Christmas gifts was a gift card for E-bay. This is what I bought.

Frozen Dead Guy Days

2012-01-04T06:46:00.000-08:00

Coffin Racing, Polar Plunging, Frozen T-shirt Contests, Ice Turkey Bowling, The Blue Ball (live band), Dead Guy Tours, Brain Freeze Contests, Parade of Hearses, Frozen Salmon Toss, Ice Break Dancing, and Much More!!

What's behind this Festival on Ice? Back in 1993, a family in Colorado packed their dear old dead guy in dry ice in hopes that someday he could be brought back, and he's still there, frozen, maybe in the garage, who knows.

Obsessing Over this Hairstyle. To Me, it is Perfection.

2012-01-03T12:52:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T22:26:00.000-08:00

And so it is, New Year's Eve. I am suddenly struck with good will. Feelings of forgiveness and understanding are flooding over me. I'm experiencing violent fits of sneezing paired with exhaustion and cravings for dark chocolate. The unbearable need for shoving my husband away whilst figuring out what is going on in my psyche is.....well, frankly, unbearable. And so,.....I leave it to you, my lambs, to have a happy new year. shhhhhhhh. just between you and me. Don't read anything sinister into this, we had a lovely time.

Christie Brinkley Brooke Shields Funny

2011-12-21T06:11:00.000-08:00

I hope whomever took this photo doesn't mind that I posted it up; it's hilarious.

A Night at the Movies

2011-12-19T04:50:00.000-08:00

Santa Claus in the Supermarket

2011-12-11T05:58:00.001-08:00

Nozomi Sasaki - Sexy Cute Christmas Video

2011-12-09T09:04:00.001-08:00

A newly released Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that Ron Paul is the most trusted Republican candidate amongst likely voters and has firmly cemented his position as a top tier candidate.

2011-12-07T16:02:00.001-08:00

The poll was conducted by telephone from November 30 to December 4. It has Paul tied in second place with Mitt Romney amongst likely Republican voters with 18 per cent. Newt Gingrich leads with 33 per cent, a figure likely to dwindle rapidly as his true political background is revealed.

Amongst likely voters, Ron Paul is seen as most honest candidate, beating Gingrich and Romney by 10 and 11 more percentage points respectively. The Texan Congressman is also more trusted than Romney amongst likely voters to handle immigration, the economy and social issues.

Paul’s sterling performance in the poll arrives on the back of his strong second placed finish in a significant survey commissioned by the Des Moines Register newspaper. The poll of likely Iowa GOP caucusgoers also found that Paul is the “most principled” candidate.

The notion that Ron Paul is now a top tier candidate with a serious shot at challenging for the Republican nomination is even being accepted by establishment media talking heads who have done their best to ignore Paul’s campaign at every turn.Ron Paul has garnered 19 GOP Presidential Straw Poll wins -- more than ANY other GOP candidate -- and ALMOST FIVE TIMES AS MANY as establishment favorite, Mitt Romney. Flavor of the Month, Newt Gingrich, has won ONE straw poll. Ron Paul’s straw poll victories constitute 48.7% of the 39 GOP Straw Polls thus far.

2011 GOP Straw Poll Wins for Ron Paul:

1st - February 12, 2011, Washington, D.C. – CPAC Straw Poll
1st - February 27, 2011 Phoenix, AZ - Tea Party Patriots Virtual Summit Straw Poll
1st - March 20, 2011, Sacramento, California – Republican Liberty Caucus of California Presidential Straw Poll
1st - June 16–18, 2011, New Orleans, Louisiana – Republican Leadership Conference Straw Poll
1st - June 19, 2011, Clay County, Iowa Republican Party Straw Poll
1st - August 20, 2011 New Hampshire Young Republicans Straw Poll
1st - September 12, 2011 Cincinnati Tea Party Straw Poll
1st - September 17, 2011 California GOP Straw Poll
1st - October 7–9, 2011, Washington, D.C. – Values Voter Straw Poll
1st - October 13, 2011, Los Angeles County, California - RPLAC Straw Poll
1st - October 18, 2011, Charleston, South Carolina - Charleston County Republican Party
1st - October 22, 2011, Columbus, Ohio - Ohio GOP Swing State Straw Poll
1st - October 29, 2011, Des Moines, Iowa - National Federation of Republican Assemblies Presidential Straw Poll Tally 1
1st - October 29, 2011, Des Moines, Iowa - National Federation of Republican Assemblies Presidential Straw Poll Tally 2
1st - November 5, 2011, Illinois - Illinois Straw Poll
1st - November 14, 2011, North Charleston, South Carolina - Charleston County Republican Party Straw Poll
1st - November 14, 2011, San Diego, California - San Diego GOP Straw poll
1st - November 15, 2011, Springfield, Missouri - Missouri Tea Party Straw poll
1st - November 19, 2011, North Carolina- NC Registered Republicans Straw Poll

Ron Paul's 2nd Place GOP Straw Poll results:

2nd - January 22, 2011, Derry, New Hampshire – New Hampshire Straw Poll
2nd - (Statistical Tie for 1st) - August 13, 2011 Iowa Straw Poll, Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.
2nd - (Statistical Tie for 1st) - August 27, 2011 Georgia State GOP Straw Poll
2nd - October 29, 2011, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; West Alabama Straw Poll
2nd - November 19, 2011, Rockford, Illinois - Memorial Hall Straw Poll

* I take no credit for these articles, they were pulled straight off of the news. I am merely sharing the information.

Christmas Lights in the Country (Coaldale & Lansford)

2011-12-06T06:10:00.001-08:00

Holiday Portrait

2011-12-04T03:57:00.001-08:00

Condom Dress

2011-11-30T10:49:00.001-08:00

You might not want to wear this to your Holiday party.
Dress by Nguyen Minh Tuan.
If you click on the image, a better image comes up where you get to see the dress move.

First Haircut. R.F. Family Hair Center. Tamaqua.

2011-11-23T06:16:00.001-08:00

Babyzilla's first haircut. Robert was great, he's one of the best hair stylists that I've ever met.
When we were getting ready to leave, he gave us a wallet calendar with his salon on the cover, tres chic.
Merci Robert.

Katy Perry and Adam Lambert Get Lost on the Way to Dragonball z Convention, Wind Up at the American Music Awards

2011-11-21T05:43:00.001-08:00

Trapper Hat. Fur Coat. WW2 Memorabilia.

2011-11-20T05:19:00.001-08:00

Christmas Ornaments

2011-11-18T06:15:00.001-08:00

The children spent their evening dreaming lazily by the fire, watching snowflakes drifting down out of a perfect winter sky.

Dreams of Home

2011-11-12T07:59:00.001-08:00

Dreams of Home,
and I know we're not alone.
Having dreams,
having visions.
This aint no fantasy.
Aint nothin strange,
It's just a life experience.
If you don't believe,

I wish you well.

Exercise Indoors

2011-11-08T05:42:00.000-08:00

Never tell your man that you need to exercise more, because he will instantly bust out the vacuum for you. And this is what he'll be thinking when he does.
Well........maybe not the first photo, she's just kind of creepy.
And what's up with the second photo? That's just waaaay to much happy going on around a vacuum cleaner.
But definitely the third photo, unless he's way older (refer to the fourth photo).

Thanksgiving - How to Get Your *ss Kicked

2011-11-04T05:46:00.000-07:00

Pilgrim was a name that some of the folks who came over from England had. If you were to look up the names of folks on the Mayflower, you would see that lots of folks had Pilgrim after their first name and before the last name. Huh.............I always thought it was a term for "dorky dressed newcomer".

Halloween Snowstorm

2011-10-29T16:05:00.000-07:00

These are neighborhood shots, the final one is my house.

Halloween Empire State Building

2011-10-27T06:07:00.000-07:00

This is last year's Empire State Building (photo provided by a close friend who lives in New York). How many of you think it's in poor taste that it looks like the upper floors are engulfed in fire? I wonder if they'll do the same thing this year?

Madeon Pop Culture Live Mash-Up

2011-10-20T17:10:00.000-07:00

If you like the first video, check out the dance video for it as well. It's sure to make you smile.

Quantum Levitation

2011-10-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

Guess it won't be long before we're all using skateboards like the one in Back to the Future.

Contrex Commercial

2011-10-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

I usually don't post video's, but this was too much fun to miss.

Crazy Boots

2011-10-05T08:52:00.000-07:00

What does this woman know? She knows that she can wear a "fat bottomed bob" (this fall's haircut trend) but that she is far too old for these boots.
Would these boots look right on anyone else besides Gene Simmons? Or perhaps on some trendy Haruki girl? Who do you think could wear these boots?

Layers of Love

2011-09-25T06:20:00.000-07:00


It wasn't so long ago that you were small, my dear. To me, you will always be ma petite cherie. My heart is full of layers of loved ones. Each one fills it completely. And you fill it too.

It's O.K., Just Cut It!

2011-09-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

George Romero Could Make a Movie in My Town

2011-09-03T22:08:00.000-07:00

Stop Bullying

2011-08-31T07:06:00.000-07:00

That girl you called fat,
she's overdosing on diet pills.
That girl you called ugly,
she spends hours putting make-up on every day
hoping people will like her.
That guy you tripped,
he's abused at home.
That guy you made fun of for crying,
his mother is dying.
That guy with the scars that you treat rudely,
he got those fighting for his country. *

*I got this from someone else. I actually know a young girl who has had a bad time from being tormented at school. Last year she tried to commit suicide.
When I was in school I was tormented too. My 35th high school reunion is this year. I'm going. Every one I've been to, someone always apologized for how they treated me. It's closure for them as well as me. One guy even apologized to my husband, whom he had never met.
Bullying takes many forms, and can come from anyone. I think the worst kind is "out of the blue" from someone you trust. It takes just about everything inside you to put that kind of bullying into perspective.
I try to remember that every one of us is fighting our own battle. I've learned to be more kind, and respond with love. So, what do you do to stop the bully? I guess it starts with each one of us. To be more patient, more understanding. To remember your own self worth. To educate and help others. To let go of "the grudge". What do you think?

Crazy Chemtrail Spotted in Pennsylvania

2011-08-25T05:27:00.001-07:00

Embrace

2011-08-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

In my heart and in my mind, he comes to me.
And he folds me up in his arms
and makes me know that everything will be alright.
And isn't that what every woman wants?
When she is cooking for her family,
or scrubbing her sink,
or smiling bravely.
That she is whole.
And everything will be alright.

A Pirate's Tale

2011-08-09T02:11:00.001-07:00

Oh, hear me
strong hearted,
the bold, and the frail.
For here lies a whopper
of a pirate's tale.
It's not pretty or nice
like the old tales of Dickens.
It's the kind of a story
that makes your blood quicken.
So sit by my side
where the fire is warm,
and we'll pay no more heed
to this night's passing storm.

It doesn't take a genius to figure this out.

2011-08-02T05:30:00.000-07:00

All people have the need to love and to be loved, to laugh and to cry, to give as well as to receive comfort and understanding. There should exist a tenderness and intimacy between two people standing together, united against any hardship, searching for the light to take them to their dreams, and be blessed by the pure and simple delight of having each other to hold and share life with.

Where I've Been - A Random Pictorial

2011-07-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

There's this funny thing that happens when you don't have computer access, life goes on. And so, after months of being off-line, I am exercising, eating well, sleeping better, re-connecting with old friends and family, reading books...........sounds good, doesn't it? We've suffered a hail storm with ice the size of baseballs, and a near twister. We took our youngest daughter to the airport and saw her off to France. We buried a loved one. There were picnics, and swimming, and long walks almost everyday (2-4 miles, not bad for a 52 year old ex-smoker with asthma), my skin is tanner, my muscles firmer, my hair is definitely shorter, my mind is clearer, and I still haven't gotten around to fully evaluating just what had taken place here. When the weather turns to crap again I might come back.
Is that a butterfly? Gotta go.

Love - Read this, it's brief.

2011-04-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

The big issue that's not being talked about these days is love. Love is all encompassing. Love heals a multitude of wounds. If more problems were handled with love, then our problems would be few. The governments don't want you to know that. It's good business to have people fighting: religion against religion, family against family, country against country, ect., ect., ect.
In my business I try to remember that everybody is fighting their own battle. We all have our own heartache. So it's important to respond with love.
Smiling is a good start. It makes you less intimidating.
Opening your hands and spreading your toes helps too. Now, open your ears and really listen. Not just to the voices, but to the sounds of life.
Love is everywhere if you look for it. It might even be looking for you.

Japan Liquefaction - WHAT???

2011-04-27T15:59:00.000-07:00

To the list of destructive forces that have wracked Japan — earthquake, tsunami, radiation from a crippled nuclear power plant — can be added liquefaction, a phenomenon that occurs when the earth’s violent shaking forces sand particles, once packed tightly, to shift apart and allow water to seep in.

Have you seen videos of this? It is amazing to watch, and sad for those people who can't get away from it. There are scientific sources that will tell you that this is a normal phenomenon, but be honest......if you were living there and seeing this, wouldn't you be scared?

Shame on the governments of the world for pulling the wool over the eyes of the people of the earth. And shame on the handful of bankers who hold the governments hostage.

Celelbrity Chia Pets

2011-04-13T06:59:00.000-07:00

The one of Britney isn't real (I think), but isn't it just so comforting to know that you can grow grass on your president's head?

Masters of War - Bob Dylan

2011-04-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin’
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it’s your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people’s blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You’ve thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain’t worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I’m young
You might say I’m unlearned
But there’s one thing I know
Though I’m younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death’ll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I’ll watch while you’re lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I’ll stand o’er your grave
’Til I’m sure that you’re dead

A New Twist on Shopping Your Closet

2011-03-28T07:09:00.000-07:00

Have you lost the will to shop? Do you come up empty handed while your friends hit gold? It could be that you have too much stuff already. Here's what to do:
Grab a couple of big trash bags and throw into them everything that bugs you for one reason or another (don't worry, you're not throwing anything out). Leave behind in your closet & drawers only the items that are the most chic, best fitting, best colors, best fabric, ect.
Now, take a deep breath, because what comes next isn't easy. Dump your trash bags onto your bed and really look at what you "pulled". You will find clues to your changing lifestyle and thus, your evolving style. This is healthy, it's o.k. Put everything back into the trash bags and stuff them into the back of your closet.
Knowing that you still have this stuff provides you with a safety net. It gives you the will to continue "pulling" freely until you have fine tuned your wardrobe. Once you have your less than perfect items out of the way, you will once again feel the thrill of the hunt to fill in the gaps. And you'll have bagfuls of goodies to offer your friends before you finally let go completely. What a nice way to start a new season!

Helping Others Deal With a Death in the Family

2011-03-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

I have two girlfriends who both lost their sons this week, within one day of each other.
They were adult children, but children nonetheless.
How do you help a close friend, or relative, deal with the death of a loved one?
Here's a list of tips:
Cook a meal, freeze it, and take it over. Why freeze it? Because it takes the pressure off. They can eat it at their own convenience, when their appetite returns.
Offer to drive or run errands. Even the simplest chores seem impossible to someone who's grieving.
Offer to help them organize/box/clean out, ect.
If you can afford it, give them a little money in a card. People tend to miss work in this situation, so helping out monetarily is usually welcome.
Don't tell them that you know how they feel, just listen.
Visit and offer to do housework while they take a nap/read/shower.
Don't forget to call them two weeks later to see if they need anything. Then call again two weeks after that. Your constant support will be appreciated.
Most of all, just let your friend know that you are there for them, anytime.

Protect Yourself Against Radiation Tips

2011-03-24T06:55:00.000-07:00

Take clean kelp and seaweed products.
Take potassium iodide.
Start growing food indoors NOW.
I had posted up a web address that tells you how to grow your own food, but it has since been taken off of the web. &*!!

Hello Sweetheart, Would You Like to Play Barbies? - Babyzilla to a 20 something salesman

2011-03-16T04:16:00.000-07:00

A good sense of humor can get you through just about anything, like a sprained ankle and being carted around the mall in a wet diaper.
A good sense of humor does not a good wardrobe make. For that you need good judgment. The key to dressing well is keeping cuts and colors classic. You can throw in a fun touch here and there so long as it doesn't come off looking juvenile. Take it from me, I spent way too many years shopping in the Junior department.
Start with a good haircut. Consider it your investment in you. A good haircut is not necessarily one cut by a professional. The "moment's" hair is edgy and looks like you might have taken scissors to yourself, ergo my new "do". It has a youthful quality, but is serious. Ask your hairdresser to cut like an amateur. That way you won't walk around looking like a hollywood wannabe. You might even look healthier, which wouldn't be such a bad thing for most of us.
The next step is throwing out all clothing and accessories that a twelve year old might wear, unless you're twelve. No more outings in pajamas, save those for the bedroom. When you look at your wardrobe, it should be "ageless". Any item in your wardrobe should look good on a person of any age. If that neon orange sweater would only look good on your dog, toss it.
This includes "funny" shirts, jewelry, shoes, hats, hair ribbons, ect., unless you want to join the circus.
Speaking of circus, ignore the red lipstick trend. Red lipstick only looks good on a few flawless faces. On most people it instantly transforms them into Ronald McDonald. Make-up is an art, so a trip to your local department store cosmetics counter for some tips might be in order. For the price of an eyeshadow or a lipstick, you could get some solid advice.
Be yourself. If you don't feel comfortable in the latest trend, then skip it. Most people "overdo" it anyway. All of the third world countries could probably be clothed in what we have and really don't need. And all of that fashion is really a distraction, for the most part. What you really want people to see is a healthy, glowing you. Try shutting off the t.v., turn on some good music instead and dance around. Take that walk to the neighborhood store instead of hopping in the car. Drink real orange juice instead of grabbing a soda. The world will see a happier, stronger you.
*The fashion in this article is from Old Navy.

A Stalker Cut My Hair

2011-03-06T06:32:00.001-08:00

I was walking home from work, when some guy who had been stalking me through my blog ran up behind me with a pair of scissors, snipped off a long piece of my hair, and ran away. It was a shocking moment, you had to be there, well....maybe you were if you're that stupid stalker guy. Anyways, I ran into work and called the police. Amazingly, our local keystone cops tracked this guy down.......
and took him straight to gullible.....
which is where you are if you believe this story.

The real reason I cut my hair is because it was long overdue. Dry, too long & heavy, lacking any real sense of style.
Cute Hubby: "Are you sure you want to cut your hair before work?"
Me: (calling cheerfully) "I know what I'm doing."
An hour and a half later:
Me: "Could you come up here and trim up the back for me? I can't reach."
Cute Hubby: "Don't make me do this! I don't know anything about hair. (snipping away) "Oh my g*d! I just snipped off a HUGE chunk in the middle! (crying like a little girl) I can't do this"
Me: (because I'm just that mean) "Stop crying and keep cutting, you're doing fine."

It just needs to be evened out a little in the back, not much.

Old Spice Guy, Elizabeth Taylor, and Fang Tooth Fish

2011-03-03T08:44:00.000-08:00

What do all of these images have in common?

If you click on images without entering anything in the subject box on Bing search site, they all pop up under "popular images".

That was fun, have a nice day.

Oscar Worthy Fashion

2011-02-27T07:47:00.000-08:00

After watching the Central Saint Martin's MFA Fashion show for 2011, well some of it anyway, I decided to see if anybody actually got it right.
The point of fashion is this: There are no more than about 10 classic shapes that all of fashion is derived from/inspired by. The idea is to take one of these shapes that has been used over and over again, and make it into something new and brilliant. Alexander McQueen knew that. So did Valentino. I don't think the students of Central Saint Martin have caught on to that recipe yet.
So anyway, I immediately went over to Chanel 2011 to see what was offered. Beautiful, yes. Classic, yes. But yawn. So then I decided to check out what John Galliano had to offer at Dior 2011 (usually I think his stuff is way too over the top). I was hypnotized by his show. Beautiful, yes. Classic, yes. Seductive and new and brilliant, yes yes yes!! So here are a few photos from the MFA Fashion show and Dior's Fashion show. I didn't include any from Chanel because you can close your eyes and use your imagination, we all know what Chanel looks like anyway. It's not hard to tell the difference between the little crickets and the true master.

This Diet Works

2011-02-15T06:57:00.000-08:00

This morning I was asked for diet advice:
Don't eat bread.
Have a 1/2 a grapefruit and one scrambled egg for breakfast.
The only juice you can drink is citrus juice.
Only lean cuts of meat are allowed, up to two times a week.
No soft cheese, or pre-sliced cheese. Small portions of hard cheese is o.k.
Absolutely no brownies, donuts, ect. If you have a sweet tooth, try a handful of trail mix, raisins, dried cranberries, carrots, apples, or some other fruit.
Drink lots and lots of water.
Eat water based foods, like soup. They don't pack on weight and they make you feel full.
You can have pasta and rice, just not with butter or sauces (except a sugar-free tomato sauce). Try drizzling extra virgin olive oil over your pasta, or stir it into rice. Olive oil is acceptable for vegetable sides too.
Act like a four year old, or most importantly, get up and MOVE. If you have a choice between walking or watching a show, take the walk. If you feel your toe tapping to a beat, don't repress it. Get up and dance!
Remember not to deny yourself everything all at once, that will only lead to binging, which will in turn cause guilt and more binging.
Smile at yourself in the mirror every day.
Be kind to people that you might not think it matters to: taxi drivers, waitresses, sales clerks, your maintenance man, ect.
It's all about balance. If you are a happy person, and you aren't numbing yourself with tobacco/alcohol (although the occasional glass of wine/beer is recommended), you'll be healthier and live longer.
Don't worry, stress is the number one killer.
I don't think I forgot anything important here, but if I did I'm not going to worry about it.
Have a nice day.

Men Can Fix Anything

2011-02-10T10:46:00.000-08:00

Worst Pizzeria Decor Ever!!!

2011-02-06T08:10:00.001-08:00

Be sure to click on the image to enlarge and see every awful detail:
Cheezy "velvet" wallpaper
Mirror tiles framed under glass (what's up with that?)
Stained ceiling
Red string hanging off ceiling ventilator
Crappiest seating ever
Plastic hanging plants
Other room addition where the wall doesn't meet the ceiling
Clearly these people don't care if they get customers.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

2011-02-03T18:50:00.000-08:00

I bought a t-shirt at Delia's today, and SURPRISE! I got an education. The shirt was printed by a company called Out of Print and they have a very cool mission statement which you can read in one of my blurry photos. The education is on the author, Maya Angelou. She is also a civil rights activist, among many other talents. Please click on her name to be taken directly to her website.
Thank you Delia's!
* A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.

Growing Up Without a Cell Phone - Author Unknown

2011-02-01T09:06:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning.... Uphill... Barefoot... BOTH ways...yadda, yadda, yadda

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on my kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

But now that I'm over the ripe old age of forty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a Utopia! And I hate to say it, but you kids today, you don't know how good you've got it!

1) I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have the Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!!

2) There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter - with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox, and it would take like a week to get there! Stamps were 10 cents!

3) Child Protective Services didn't care if our parents beat us. As a matter of fact, the parents of all my friends also had permission to kick ourass! Nowhere was safe!

4) There were no MP3's or Napsters or iTunes! If you wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the record store and shoplift it yourself!

5) Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio, and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up! There were no CD players! We had tape decks in our car. We'd play our favorite tape and "eject" it when finished, and then the tape would come undone rendering it useless. Cause, hey, that's how we rolled, Baby! Dig?

6) We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called, they got a busy signal, that's it!

7) There weren't any freakin' cell phones either. If you left the house, you just didn't make a damn call or receive one. You actually had to be out of touch with your "friends". OH MY GOSH !!! Think of the horror... not being in touch with someone 24/7!!! And then there's TEXTING. Yeah, right. Please! You kids have no idea how annoying you are.

8) And we didn't have fancy Caller ID either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your parents, your boss, your bookie, your drug dealer, the collection agent... you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!

9) We didn't have any fancy PlayStation or Xbox video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like 'Space Invaders' and 'Asteroids'. Your screen guy was a little square! You actually had to use your imagination!!! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen.. Forever! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!

10) You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your ass and walk over to the TV to change the channel!!! NO REMOTES!!! Oh, no, what's the world coming to?!?!

11) There was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying? We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled little ratbastards!

12) And we didn't have microwaves. If we wanted to heat something up, we had to use the stove! Imagine that!

13) And our parents told us to stay outside and play... all day long. Oh, no, no electronics to soothe and comfort. And if you came back inside... you were doing chores!

And car seats - oh, please! Mom threw you in the back seat and you hung on. If you were lucky, you got the "safety arm" across the chest at the last moment if she had to stop suddenly, and if your head hit the dashboard, well that was your fault for calling "shot gun" in the first place!

See! That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled rotten! You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1970 or any time before!

A Day of Play on a Winter's Day

2011-01-30T17:13:00.000-08:00

Mens Valentines - You Decide

2011-01-27T09:52:00.000-08:00

According to Style.com, the red Wayfarer glasses are a perfect Valentine's present for your guy....... hmmmmm.......ahem...... yeah. Why is this setting off alarms for me? Would you worry if your guy was overjoyed to be given a pair of red sunglasses? Can you imagine your sweetie doing the happy-clappy dance over a pair of those?
Or would the polarized folding Ray Bans be the cooler choice, and the more sensible one? No more lost sunglasses, they just fold and fit into a pocket.
What do you think? (don't let me influence you or anything)

*Dude, seriously, what are you doing with the red sunglasses on? Take them off, I don't want to be seen with you.

Gretchen's Memorial

2011-01-25T05:53:00.000-08:00

What I failed to capture is the amount of friends who were there. So much love and so many faces, all there because of their shared love for one woman.

La Dolce Casa, Tamaqua, Pa.

2011-01-20T06:27:00.001-08:00

On a wet, icy night, this place was a slice of heaven (even though we didn't order pizza). The food was good, and the service was great. Our waiter was just a regular kid, but he did everything he could to make sure that we were happy.

"It's Just Not Interesting Until You Mix it Up." - D.L.

2011-01-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Adding a little fire and bread to the mix doesn't hurt either.

Bad Blog Buddy

2011-01-04T10:25:00.001-08:00

Yes, I know I have been a bad blog buddy, not stopping in and commenting the way I should. We are still in grieving mode around here. Thanks so much for your Christmas and New Year's wishes, you guys are the best.

Fresh Start. New Ideas.

2011-01-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

What are your plans for the New Year?

I Wonder How Many Phone Cords it Took to Make the Wig

2010-12-29T18:39:00.000-08:00

Through the Years We All Will Be Together, If the Fates Allow

2010-12-27T06:21:00.000-08:00

Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Egg Nog

2010-12-24T07:10:00.001-08:00

Santa's Coming. Hide your wife, Hide your kids, and hide your husband too, Because there is no peeking on Christmas Eve, for real.

2010-12-23T09:48:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!!!!

Marco's Pizzeria Christmas Display

2010-12-21T04:42:00.000-08:00

Santa Clause Visits Babyzilla

2010-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

Don't let her calm exterior fool you. You want to see a kid become completely unglued? Let her see Mr. & Mrs. Santa Clause walking up to her front door carrying presents.

Christmas Lights from a Speeding Car

2010-12-17T11:33:00.000-08:00

Saying Goodbye is Never Easy, So I'll Just Say So Long

2010-12-15T04:33:00.000-08:00

I Want My MTV the Way it Used to Be

2010-12-11T12:19:00.000-08:00

Anybody else wish MTV would go back to being music television? It was so great when it first came out, we couldn't get enough.

There's a Gherkin in my Merkin

2010-12-09T08:33:00.000-08:00

Thirty Years Ago Today We Lost John Lennon.

2010-12-08T06:08:00.000-08:00

Hairy Balls on the Beach

2010-12-07T06:44:00.000-08:00

I don't remember exactly how the topic came up between us, but last night Cute Hubby asked me if I'd ever seen hairy balls at the beach, stop laughing and pay attention. This immediately put the image in my head of some awful old dude on the nude beach, but I said no. I swear to g*d I have no idea what he's talking about. He says that they're like hairy sponges and that he used to throw them around the beach in France. They're composed out of some kind of seaweed or something like that. How about you guys? Ever seen hairy balls at the beach? Cute Hubby is banking on some of my European followers knowing. How about it?

Really Dreading Winter

2010-12-05T06:40:00.000-08:00

Having a Good Saturday Night? I'm Scrubbing My Tub With My New Earth Friendly Cleanser.

2010-12-04T13:38:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed the large variety of Earth friendly cleansers on the market? Method, Seventh Generation, Meyers, to name a few.
The one by Method smells like lavender, and the one by Meyers smells like citron. Take a look at your grocer shelves and you'll see a really big selection of laundry, dish, and household cleansers that are easy on your planet and pocket. Cheers.

The Dawning of a Bright New Day

2010-12-02T21:12:00.000-08:00

We'll Never Be Anything But Loud. Dirty Little Freaks.

2010-12-01T19:18:00.000-08:00

In random order: Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), King Crimson, The Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, Iron Butterfly, Alice Cooper, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Grand Funk Railroad, Credence Clearwater Revival, Jefferson Airplane, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Electric Light Orchestra, Kiss.

Sex a Go Go. Twist and Shout

2010-12-01T05:47:00.000-08:00

Christmas Pin-ups. Do we really need to ask the guys what they want for Christmas?

2010-11-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

I've been listening to Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas songs on listen.grooveshark.com. It's better than Pandora, no commercials, and you get to customize your selection.

Tis the Season

2010-11-29T15:03:00.000-08:00

I have that exact same jacket that Bette Davis is wearing, but mine's not that clean.

The Girl Can't Help It

2010-11-28T07:46:00.000-08:00

Surprise!!! What the???

2010-11-27T07:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Hunting

2010-11-24T06:25:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for family.......and food. We are thankful for the abundance of food from harvest and hunting to get us through the winter months. But lo, hunting is not what it used to be. Case in point, Cabelas super/mega hunting store, complete with stuffed animal display and overpriced restaurant (just in case you get hungry and lose your way out). I was intrigued and horrified at the same time.
My kind of hunting is thrifting. I was lucky enough to find an old board game that I used to play as a kid. If anyone knows the name of it, please leave it in the comment section (no, it's not chinese checkers). I immediately set about teaching Cute Hubby how to play the game; we laughed our heads off.
This Thanksgiving I am truly grateful for my family, and for the abundance of food. I'm also grateful to have a place to hang my hat.
Due to the nature of the holiday, I may not be posting for a few days. Happy Holidays everyone. . . . . .and happy hunting.

Connections

2010-11-22T05:20:00.000-08:00

A Bit of History Just for Fun

2010-11-19T15:10:00.000-08:00

The following article was sent to me some time ago. Since Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I thought reading about how things used to be was a good idea. I for one am truly thankful.
There is an old Hotel/Pub in Marble Arch, London , which used to have a gallows adjacent to it. Prisoners were taken to the gallows, (after a fair trial of course) to be hung.

The horse drawn dray, carting the prisoner, was accompanied by an armed guard, who would stop the dray outside the pub and ask the prisoner if he would like ''ONE LAST DRINK''.

If he said YES, it was referred to as ONE FOR THE ROAD.

If he declined, that prisoner was ON THE WAGON.

They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken & sold to the tannery. If you had to do this to survive you were, "Piss Poor", but worse than that, were the really poor folk, who couldn't even afford to buy a pot, they "Didn't have a pot to Piss in" & were the lowest of the low.

The next time you are washing your hands and complain, because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be.

Here are some facts about the 1500's:

Most people got married in June, because they took their yearly bath in May and they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were starting to smell, brides carried a bouquet of flowers, to hide the body odor.

Hence the custom today, of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water..

The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water!"

Houses had thatched roofs, thick straw piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom, where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top, afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, "Dirt Poor." The wealthy had slate floors, that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing.

As the winter wore on, they added more thresh, until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way.. Hence: a thresh hold. (Getting quite an education, aren't you?)

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle, that always hung over the fire. Every day, they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight, then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme: ''Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot, nine days old''.

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon, to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "Bring home the Bacon." They would cut off a little, to share with guests and would all sit around talking and ''Chew the fat''.

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning & death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided, according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or ''The Upper Crust''.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination, would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road, would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of ''Holding a Wake''.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So, they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, thread it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell.

Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night, (the graveyard shift) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, ''Saved by the Bell '' or was considered a ''Dead Ringer''

Crowd

2010-11-18T19:52:00.001-08:00

Tired

2010-11-17T20:40:00.000-08:00

None of these images are mine, they were found on the web when I typed in "tired". If anyone should object to me using them for this post, I will gladly remove them.

Marilyn Monroe and JFK - Just Kidding

2010-11-16T21:00:00.000-08:00

You'll Be Talking About Jesus While You're Bursting Into Flames

2010-11-15T07:06:00.000-08:00

JEWEL

2010-11-14T06:41:00.000-08:00

Jungle Jim - These are a Hoot

2010-11-13T06:13:00.000-08:00

Have a nice weekend everyone!!

Fire and Soul

2010-11-12T07:11:00.000-08:00

Nova Naturals Toy Review

2010-11-11T08:02:00.000-08:00

Nova Naturals carries great simple and old fashioned toys for kids........with a few exceptions. Who in the world thought it would be a good idea for kids to have face crayons and walking blocks?? Nothing spells out Bad Parent like kids with fractured ankles and drawings all over their faces. Just look at that kid in the photo: No helmet, on blacktop. Jeez.
They also sell a henna kit for kids, which I couldn't find a picture of online. Are these people totally stupid??? If you already have a hard enough time scrubbing stuff off of your kids, raise your hand. O.k., we're all in agreement then. Now, go see what your kid is up to.

Anthropologie November 2010

2010-11-09T06:08:00.000-08:00

Cheers to Anthropologie once again, for the beautiful imagery in their fall catalog.
Sorry about the last two pics, I was having a hard time with my scanner.

A Day to Remember

2010-11-08T18:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks for Babyzilla's birthday wishes everybody. I'd say it was a pretty good day. There was cake, presents, a tour of the Hershey Chocolate Factory, a walk around Hershey Park, and the Toy Story 3 Ice Skating Show. We started out with "nosebleed" seats at the show, but I have vertigo so the management moved us to our own private section on a lower level. It was awesome.
How about that roller coaster shot? That's what you see driving down the road in Hershey. The tour of the chocolate factory was really neat too, it's a ride.

Daydreaming in the Laundromat with Babyzilla - Guess Who's Turning 4!!

2010-11-06T06:20:00.000-07:00

Babyzilla turns 4 on Sunday!!!! Where did the time go?
Thanks to her generous Auntie M, she is going to see Woody and the Toy Story gang ice skating. Naturally, that is all she's been talking about for the past week. Instead of saying "good morning" when she wakes up, she says "Woody ice skating, birthday, presents". Excitement has a new name and it's Woody. (get your mind up out of the gutter right now)

So here we are at the laundromat, counting Babyzilla's Pez dispenser collection. If you haven't guessed, I can't use my washer right now. This is because my basement is flooding again.......and the roof in the laundry room is leaking......again. And come to think of it, the fence DOES need repair. Sounds a lot like a song I heard somewhere....sigh.

Thanks to everyone who gave positive feedback on my song. I might get Cute Hubby to help me do a video of it and post it on Youtube. Wouldn't it be funny if it turned out to be a hit?

Have a nice weekend. I'll be back in a few days with photos of the show. xo d

Tripping on Barbed Wire- song written by me

2010-11-04T04:44:00.000-07:00

I'm tripping on barbed wire when I'm with you.
I want to be happy, but you make me blue.
You promised it all, but you never came through.
I'm tripping on barbed wire when I'm with you.

The roof is still leaking,
The fence needs repair.
We never have money,
I cut my own hair.
You're blowing out answers,
I'm breathing thin air.
My defenses are up now,
You better beware.

Can't get two words out,
We don't talk anymore.
And I'm sure tired of hearing
your life's such a bore.
We used to make love,
Now we just sleep and snore.
And the barbed wire's so thick
I can't dance anymore.

So listen up honey,
As you know you should.
Don't need fences of wire,
or fences of wood.
We need bridges of stone man,
and we need them fast.
Before it's too late and our chances have passed.

'Cause I'm tripping on barbed wire when I'm with you.
I want to be happy, but you make me blue.
You promised it all, but you never came through.
Guess I'll spend all my days tripping wire with you.

I wrote this song a few years ago. Cute hubby and I have a great relationship, btw. He hates this song. I was thinking of selling it, maybe to a country singer, but I haven't a clue how to go about it.

I Went as Michael Jackson and Forgot My Camera, Thank G*d My Friend Had Hers.

2010-11-01T07:42:00.000-07:00

I was invited to a private party at a local pub, Pimps & Ho's being the theme. So I went as Michael Jackson, who was neither. Having arrived early, I sat quietly at the bar while people started filing in. I spoke only to the bartender in a falsetto voice while ordering a glass of beer with a straw, so I wouldn't have to lift up my mask to drink. It was a beautiful thing, sitting there motionless, watching people's faces go from curiosity to nervousness. There was one guy who could not stop staring at me, he was compelled, and each time I would only turn my head slowly in his direction and stare him down. I think he wanted to punch me.
My friend, who invited me, showed up with her boyfriend. Their costumes were awesome, especially his huge 'fro. I waited another 1/2 hour, sitting there not speaking. The bartender told me that she had forgotten to card me and could she please see some ID. Someone had put her up to that, since no one knew who the creepy Michael Jackson was. So I motioned her to a small side room where I leaned over and gave her a wink over my sunglasses. She looked so relieved when she realized that it was an older woman behind the mask, and said "Your secret's safe with me". I went back to my seat and the other guests went back to nervously glancing in my direction. When my friend started taking pictures, I saw an opportunity, stood up, and walked over to her. I thought for a minute that her boyfriend was going to jump up and knock me down. In falsetto I said to her "Could you take my picture? Because you might not know me, but I know you" (drawing out the word "know" slowly). Her face went white. She said "Are you Phil?". I shook my head "no". This was almost too much. It was time to take off the mask, so off it went, and the glasses, and the hat, and shaking my hair out. "Omg, it's YOU!" she squealed. "I thought you couldn't come!". It was a relief not to be creepy anymore, but you have to expect something like that on Halloween.
The rest of the evening consisted of a few glasses of beer, pumpkin cupcakes, dancing like an idiot, and a whole lot of laughs. It was the best night out in a long time.
At the end of it all, I walked slowly home, singing softly to myself in the moonlight. I think it might have been a Michael Jackson tune.