Too Much Excitement Last Night

I spent 3 hours in the ER with my father. Sadly this was from 10 pm til a little after 1 am.

I have to wonder, do the hospitals not get paid if the patients aren't in the ER for at least 3 hours, if not 4?

Thankfully, it was only a bladder infection. He was given antibiotics and was sent home with us after about 3 hours.

The only problem is, I only got about 4 hours of sleep last night and I have to go to work in less than an hour.

I don't know how I'm going to keep my eyes open for 8 hours, I really don't. If only I could call off.

Someone please pass the super strength coffee!

Another Sunny Day

Sadly just like all the rest, the majority of it is being spent inside. On a plus I can get out to get the mail later and take a short walk, but other than that, its inside I'll stay, staring at the four walls of my office until 4 o'clock.

Boo hiss!

Sometimes I really wish that offices could be in the out of doors, especially when th sun is shining and its supposed to be near 80 degrees out.

No one in their right mind would want to be indoors on a such a gorgeous day.

Heck, I'm not even in my right mind and I don't want to be inside today.

Missing Mondays

If I were brutally honest I'd have to say that today I miss having the day after Easter off. The only time that occurred was when I was in high school though, and I really don't miss high school at all.

Another thing I'm missing today is Chunky Bars. Anyone remember these strange square candy bars filled with peanuts and raisins?

We used to have them in the house all the time when I was a kid.

I think they still make them, they just don't sell them anywhere where I can buy them. That's probably a good thing too, because I'd be the size of a barn with Chunky bars around.

Yes, they were that good!

I want a Chunky NOW!

Happy Easter!!!

I'm hoping that some of you have heard this Easter song because this song was my childhood. It's Eggbert The Easter Egg and its sung by Rosemary Clooney.




Happy Easter everyone!

Lots To Do

I have 2 reviews to write this weekend. I have much laundry to do. Oh and mass tonight is the super long Easter Vigil service, and that's the mass I'm probably going to attend. I'm a bit batshit insane like that.

I'm just not sure where they time is going to come from.

Did I mention I've also got to help with the cooking for Easter?

Yeah, that too.

Why is it that holidays only mean more work? At least the really big holidays?

I think I like Memorial Day, Fourth Of July and Labor Day better. All they require is me sitting on my butt and eating burgers and hot dogs, that Dad makes on the grill.

Life is good during the summer holidays. All the other ones are just a hassle!

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 musical things that you are excited for this spring/summer


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

1. The Gordon Lightfoot concert in June.

2. The new Andy Bell CD that I think is due out in May

3. Hairspray @ The Benedum in July (assuming I can afford it)

4. The Phantom Of The Opera in Aug/Sept I'm not sure which one of these shows I'm going to, but I'm excited for both this and Hairspray. I'm thinking when it comes down to money, The Phantom will win.

5. Free outdoor concerts: I'm hoping there are a few coming up at Oglebay this summer.

Yesterday Was Super Awesome

It was a rough day starting out. I was battling the spreadsheets from hell at work. I went to the gym, did shopping at KMart to get cards for Dad for his b-day tomorrow and dessert for dinner.

I didn't even turn my computer on until shortly after 6 p.m. yesterday evening and I was greeted by an email from The Palace Theater saying that Gordon Lightfoot would be playing in Greensburg June 16.

I squeed and noticed they were doing presales already!

Guess what?

I'm going and my seats are Orchestra, row C!

I'm so excited and I didn't even know about this until the email came! I'm so thrilled. I love Gordon Lightfoot! This made my day, and will be the first "real" concert I've been to in 2 years! Last years shows were all freebies.

Why Is It So Hard?

I've been trying to weed out clothes I don't wear anymore because I don't fit in them or just don't like them etc. I'm hoping to clear out space in my closets and drawers. No matter what I do, I can't get it all down.

I don't know why there are things I just can't part with, even though I know I'll never wear them again. I'm not even sure if some of them have sentimental value. I think its just that I don't feel I got my money's worth out of the garmets.

Does that make sense?

I'm sure its some warped woman's logic that I'm applying here, or maybe I just don't want to get rid of things.

I have a rule with books that I don't pass it on to Goodwill or a friend until I've read it or am sure that I've read it before. I just can't easily toss books, even if they are my cheesy Harlequins.

Maybe I need those Hoarders people to come and do an intervention? LOL!

Missing Monday (on Tuesday)

In the last week I've really been missing "the people and things that went before." If I wasn't shedding tears for gram, I was crying over Mutchka or Purrbee or Itchy or Coco. I miss all of them dreadfully.

I know in the next 30 days I'll be missing grandma more as the anniversary of her death approaches.

For as long as I live I don't think I'll ever be able to forget coming into her dark house and calling out for her. Then rushing up to the top of the steps to find her lying on the floor, already gone.

The fear still shakes me. I can even hear my own screams echoing.

I was so afraid. I was scared to touch her and she was my grandma, but that knowledge of death kept me from doing it, as if death were contagious. I remember clinging to my mother, and crying..."she's gone."

I felt so powerless.

That was probably the most life changing event I ever experienced. I would give anything to change April 26, 2008. The worst day of my life.

Gram..I miss you.

Why Can't I Read On The Weekends?

This is a phenomenon that I just can't figure out. I buy books on weekends, but I can never manage to sit down and read one. I'm always doing other things or going someplace. Even when I want to relax I can't.

This weekend I had to write a CD review. I have another one due soon too. The one I reviewed Saturday night was horrid and I wastes several hours of my life to come up with a review that didn't shout, "OMG don't fucking quit your day jobs!"

I wanted to say that, mind you, but I didn't. I tried to find some positives to go with the negatives. I probably should stop doing that. I hate to give a really crap artist false hope, and I might have done that.

This could have been time spent reading a good book and I have a "to be read" pile that's threatening to fall over.

I'm hoping that I can catch up on some of the reading I missed out on tonight in between Chuck and Castle. Damn, Mondays for being such a good TV night!

Lazy Sundays

Like The Bangles tune Manic Monday "Sunday's my fun day." Its the only day of the week that I don't usually have to run around for something or another. I can take a PJ day or do whatever.

Sundays are my day of relaxation, and that's what I plan to do today.

RELAX!

My only plans today are for dinner. I'm going to take my father out, which is my usual Sunday ritual. Dad likes to go for dinner on Sunday afternoon. At most I may stop by Walmart (shudders) to pick up some food for the cats. (Wouldn't want to become dinner for a passel of hungry kittehs)

So I'm going to turn up the Gordon Lightfoot on my computer and I'm going to pick up that wonderful historical romance I was trying to read yesterday and I'm going to pretend like the world around me doesn't exist for a few hours.

Hope you all have a great Sunday!

A Day Of Books and Music

I'm working on a not so fantastic CD review right now. I have to admit that after about 12 listens its growing on me. Kind of like a bad fungus. You can listen to the music here. I'd kind of like someone else to give me an opinion on it so I know if I'm losing my mind on with my take on the sound. I hear a huge influence from Journey and Foreigner and some of the lyrics sound like they came from the film Music and Lyrics. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

On a happier note, I've been to Goodwill, which means I've bought books. Yes, I know. I need more books like I need a hole in my head, but with movie prices on the rise, a good book is a more economical source of entertainment. Plus I got some really great buys on some Chick lit, and we all know how much I love Chick lit.

I've also been reviewing a lot of the romance novels I've been reading as well as the other stuff over at my book blog, here. Sometimes I even blog about book stuff. I'm really proud of myself. I've read 38 books so far this year and 2 or 3 novellas (about 80 pages). I really wish I could spend more time this weekend with my books than with this damn CD.

Top 5 On Friday

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


Top 5 artists you have to own everything or everything you can afford


Mostly these are all bands that I buy as much as I can afford.

1. Erasure/Andy Bell: I own CD singles and bootlegs and anything I can usually get my hands on when it comes to this band.

2. Elvis Costello: Right now I'm down 3 albums and its killing me. I have reissues of reissues! How bad is that?

3. The Moody Blues: I have more best of compilations than these guys have studio albums and that's sickening. Right now I'm missing one live album, and that's because I'm sick of them not putting out a studio album.

4. Duran Duran: I hate myself for loving them. If their next album is as shitty as Red Carpet Massacre, I will not be wasting my money on them anymore.

5. Keri Noble: One of my favorite female singers and I buy as much of her stuff as I can. I've even done the digital download thing for her Christmas EP. I will own the CD when I can justify its inflated Japanese import cost.

Thursday Already?

Granted I am happy that the weekend is fast upon us, but I would like to know where the hell my life is going, because I'm sure not doing much of anything.

Le sigh.

The huge amount of excitement I had in my life last night involved watching 2 TV shows. That's pretty sad. The other burst of excitement I had was going to Walmart, which actually is quite pathetic, because there's no excitement to be found at Walmart.

I just wish there was something going on that is worth discussing. I'm sick of listening to debate on health care and truthfully I'm ashamed of each and every republican out there, and Sarah Palin who is a wingnut of her own variety makes me wish that I was born anywhere but the USA.

Can't there be something exciting happening that isn't aggravating?

Bigger Le sigh.

But I am alive so I guess its all good, right?

Has Anyone Watched Parenthood?

Now that my USA shows have wrapped up for the time being, I was left with nothing to watch last night. I tried to get some reading in, as well as some sleep, since my cough from hell is still lurking, but I was still slightly awake at 10 o'clock.

So I thought, why not give Parenthood a try.

No, I'm not having children, I'm just going to watch a new show on NBC.

I managed to stay awake for part of it, but what I saw I thought was actually pretty decent. It wasn't as good as my USA Shows but its also a different kind of show. Its one of those dramadies, part drama, part comedy and I think it works.

I think its being killed in the ratings, so I'm not expecting it to last very long, but it was far from awful and its better than another stupid cop/lawyer/medical drama.

Anyone else watching this?

Tuesday Tunes: Week 125

From Music Memoirs

Let's talk about books and music:

1. What is your favorite rock bio or autobiography?
I have to say that I totally loved Loretta Lynn's A Coal Miner's Daughter. She didn't really hold much back and the story was entertaining and gave me a better appreciation of her music.

2. What musician do you wish would write their life story?
No question about it; Elvis Costello. A runner up would be Paul McCartney

3. If you could write a biography of an artist living or dead, who would it be and why?
I think I would pick Justin Hayward or John Lodge, mostly because there aren't any stories out there about The Moody Blues or their music. Plus I really believe either of these guys would have some amusing tales to share.

Our Neighbors Dogs

Our neighbors have 3 sharpeis, you know those big wrinkly dogs? Well, they've now learned how to jump over the fence to come visit us and they do it with regularity.

In the middle of the night, the male dog, Bear, was barking at our front door to be let in. He's apparently not stupid and knows that we love animals. Plus he wants to play. All the time. He's about 100 lbs of playful dog.

This wouldn't be a problem if we didn't have our own dog, who only weighs about 15 lbs. Not that the neighbors dog is mean. There's not a nasty bone in his body, but our little mutt likes to pick fights. He was always trying to pick a fight with Purrbee when he was alive and I think he was lucky that Purrbee didn't kick his butt.

I don't want to get the dogs in trouble either, because I love the wrinkly little buggers. They can't help it if they don't want to be around people that aren't paying them any attention.

Which brings me to my rant; if you don't have the time to spend keeping your dog amused and contented, you have no business having a dog. Dogs need people. If you want a fairly low maintainance pet, get a cat. Cats only need people to feed them and clean up after them. I know this, I have cats. I also have dogs. So I think I can safely note the differences in the species.

I feel sorry for these sharpeis, they are very playful and loving animals and they just want that in return.

Missing Mondays

Since I got the freelance job reviewing music I find that I actually miss enjoying music.

Why is that?

Because I end up spending hours listening to one particular CD that I may or may not love or care about and then I have to write about it, at least 500 words if not more.

It really has sapped my love for music in recent months and that's not to say I haven't received any great CDs. I have adored the music by Shady Cats.

I don't feel like I get the chance to really sit down anymore and enjoy something just for the sake of listening to something and that's really not fun at all. It is also something I really never thought I'd say. I'm just not enjoying music as much as I used to. That's criminal if you ask me.

I want to enjoy music again!

Feeling Argumentative

I'm sick of my republican brother bashing everything Obama does.

Now I'm in no way backing everything he's been doing, but I don't think he's doing a horrible job considering what he was left with.

As for health care, I don't know whats right or wrong anymore. I'm just sick of those with health care feeling that because they can afford it or are lucky enough to have a job that offers insurance that's worthy of having, that no one else deserves that right or should have help getting it.

I pay $159 a month for coverage out of my own pocket and I still have a deductible around $1300 before my coverage kicks in at 90/10.

Not great but it gets the job done sometimes.

I don't think its right that the government says all children should have coverage and not the parents that have to take care of the children.

Everyone should be able to go to the doctor without having to worry about going into debt with medical bills. I don't care if you make a million a year or $10,000 a year. Plus if you are in the lower income brackets, and I am, its hard to make that decision to purchase health coverage because you have other bills to pay. What's more important?

Think about that.

And why is the poor person's life not worth as much as a millionaires? There are people that love them and need them.

Again, I don't think the health care bill that may or may not pass is the perfect solution, but something has to be done. The system is broke beyond belief.

Weird Dreams

I wasn't even under the influence of Nyquil last night and I was having wacky dreams. I was in a hotel for some function and I was flirting mercilessly with Michael Crawford. Yeah, Michael Crawford, of The Phantom Of The Opera.

I have no idea where that dream came from, but it does get weirder.

The hotel where we were staying or at for the function was full of snakes and the elevators weren't working properly.

Oh and my grandmother was at the church function and I was complaining about the cake, because I wanted to eat it but I need to lose weight and it was tempting me terribly.

Yeah. It was one of the goofiest dreams I've had in ages. I have no idea where it came from but it was certainly entertaining in parts.

I don't care how old Michael Crawford is, he's a damn handsome man.

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 power pop songs


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

1. Fountains Of Wayne - Stacey's Mom: Probably one of the most overplayed and slightly obnoxious earworms of its time, but it is still one of the best power pop songs of the last 20 years.

2. Cheap Trick - I Want You, To Want Me: One of the best Trick songs and probably one of the best power pop songs ever.

3. Jellyfish - Baby's Coming Back: You've probably not heard of this one, but its still awesome and catchy and cute.

4. Nick Lowe - Cruel To Be Kind: This is probably one of my favorite songs period, power pop or otherwise.

5. Weezer - Buddy Holly. This song is brilliant and the video is adorable

Overworked

Somehow I got unlucky this month and I was assigned 4 reviews, all of which arrived in my mailbox at the same time, meaning I have 2 weeks to write at least 2000 words, preferrably good words about these artists. Three of those days were spend with me being sick.

ARGH!

I do have one of the reviews completed and ready to be sent. Thank god. I only wish that little 4 song EP had been more exciting or word worthy.

The review I'm working on tonight is by a NC band called the Shady Cats. I've only listened to half of it, and I'm already in love. So this one shouldn't be too difficult. It always helps me to write when I'm enjoying what I'm reviewing at least a little bit. Not that I didn't like the other EP, I just find it challenging to come up with 500 words for 4 little songs.

I actually miss reviewing the children's music. I had some really wonderful stuff sent to me last year.

I just hope I can motivate myself to do at least a review a day, so that I can have them all done by Monday.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I'm not Irish, but I will be celebrating St. Patrick's Day by eating corned beef brisket and potatoes for dinner, along with some cabbage. I also plan to have at least one beer. I can't guarantee that its going to be green, because I really don't want to leave the house. Maybe if I'm feeling particularly frisky I 'll put on Danny Boy and dance a jig, but I'm pretty sure my frisky is still down for the count.

I'm actually crossing my fingers that I'll be able to taste the damn corned beef tonight. I haven't been able to taste much of anything for the last 7 days.

Yeah, I've had a killer cold.

The remnants of that cold aren't going to stop me from enjoying the only part of the holiday that I can enjoy. (I mean, I really have no right to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I'm not Irish)

But to all of you that are Irish or just need an excuse to Par-Tay, Happy St. Patrick's Day

Off To Alice In Wonderland

If it kills me I will be at the 5:10 show today. I have wanted to see the movie since it came out and I was supposed to see it this weekend, but I was too damn sick.

Well today, I feel remotely like myself, so I am gathering up the nephew and piling into my old jalopy and we are making our way to the movie theater.

So this movie better be good!

Why?

I don't usually leave my house on a week night for a movie. I'm doing that for Alice. So damn it, it better deliver.

The Weekend From Hell

I pretty much slept through all of yesterday. I don't think I can remember when I've felt that sick. Usually I get a sinus cold here and there, I'm pretty sure I was walking around with the flu since Wednesday.

I took Nyquil last night at around 8:30 and zoned for awhile, but last night my Mom and nephew decided to chatter like magpies and I couldn't sleep.

I've got Nyquil sea legs and its almost 9:30.

Not a good thing.

I just want to resume normal or as close to normal life as I possibly can, but so far that's not happening.

I haven't eaten a full meal in days because I can't taste a damn thing and I've determined that when you can't taste food, why bother.

Oh and I'm cranky as hell, which is about the only thing about me that's still normal.