Hello happy readers of my purposeless ramblings. I hope all of you are doing well. It's been quite a week, but I made it through. For one, I took a day off, a full day off!! I did it so DirecTV could come by and install. It was 4:15 or so when he got here and about 7:30 when he left, but at least I have HD and a DVR and more channels, so I guess that isn't bad (even though I thought I'd have to make up my spare bedroom and cook him supper!). I'm enjoying it so far. Still have to keep Comcast for internet, but I can deal with that.
Unfortunately, that happened on the same day that we lost a very dear person. A boss so nice I worked for him twice! My thoughts and prayers go out to the family & friends of Ronnie Quarles. Godspeed Q!!
On to lighter topics, I actually went out walking a few times last week (as evidenced by my boring nature shots on Facebook). That happened because the weather was actually quite nice. Normally, I wouldn't mind that, but it's June and I'm used to oppressive heat & humidity. Oh how I miss summers in the south. You get in your car and everything you touch leaves a 2nd degree burn because it's so hot. You crank your AC full blast, and when things finally cool off in the car, you arrive at your destination. Then you get out of your cool car and by the time you get inside, your shirt is already sticking to you. Good times! At least it is hotter here this weekend and I can utilize my AC, which finally got installed. Too bad my washing machine is a bit temperamental. I couldn't get it to rinse or spin last night. So I had clothes sitting in water for a while. I fished those out like they were a dead body on Law & Order and tried to get the spin cycle to work. It didn't. Thankfully, I had clothes to wear today. If not, I would have had to direct hymns in jeans, and I'm not sure Jesus or my Mama would have liked that.
Yup, I got to direct hymns this morning. It'd been a while since I got to direct. Did I miss it? Yeah, but I enjoy just being able to sing without the pressure of picking out songs. Plus, more people at church got to see me and put a face to my loud voice. Maybe even more people will know me and say hey and ask me to do stuff :-)
In the news, Joran van der Sloot is a creepy murderous villain and the parents who let their 16 sail around the world alone are stupid. That's all you need to know. In sports, the Big 12 is a big mess right now. Will anyone want to stay? It's like a group of kids at a school dance. Someone already asked Nebraska & Colorado to dance and everyone wants to dance with Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, OSU, and Texas Tech. That leaves Kansas, KState, Missouri, Baylor, and Iowa State feeling like the ugly nerds with no dates. Those poor schools. They are now wanting to keep the Big 12 together. Yes, dance with each other. Just get uglier nerdier people (schools less talented than yours) to come dance with you. Will the SEC ask anyone to dance? SEC is the stud everyone wants to dance with and get giggly and shy around. It's good to be the SEC. Oh, and USC and Lane Kiffin, bwahahahahahahahaha, y'all got what you deserved.
Finally, I get to plan trips!! Next month, I come home to Alabama for a few days (and for my birthday. Those of you in town, I can make a list of gifts I would like. Maybe I'll do it like a registry. You can buy the gift or gifts now, or you can start saving money) to see folks. I hope my sweet baby girl Caroline will be born while I'm here so I can see her. It will be a wonderful honor and privilege to see her!! PLUS!! I've decided on my vacation this year. I'm going to SAN DIEGO!! Home of the zoo and Sea World and hopefully an economically priced but still nice hotel. I have a free flight from Southwest that expires so why not spend it on someplace fun. Now to finish planning it. If you have any ideas, tips, discounts, donations, etc., just let me know. Plus, I'm gonna try to make a day trip to LA while I'm there. I CAN'T WAIT!!
Maybe when I'm in LA, I can ask the movie studios why they put out so much crap this summer. I have gift cards and passes burning holes in my billfold and there is precious little I want to see. I thought about seeing The A-Team, but thought better of it. Karate Kid? I don't think so. I'd rather watch the world cup.
OK, that's enough excitement for now. I thought I'd blog early just because. Plus, with the Kardashians and Holly's World coming on tonight, my dance card will be full. I like hard hitting, insightful, and informative TV! Have a great week everyone!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
In the Midnight Hour
Where I am, it isn't the midnight hour anymore, but back home it is. Yes, I still call Alabama "home". I'm in my apartment, but I don't call it home. Anyway, that's not important. I can't sleep so I thought I'd blog. Why? WHY NOT!!!
Anyway, it was fun keeping up with the Alabama elections online. It has felt odd since I stopped being involved in election coverage. Actually, my first real election experience was back in 1994 when Gerald Allen first ran for State Representative. I actually got to help on the campaign. I even held a sign one day. I remember it vividly. I was at the intersection of University Blvd, 15th St, and Hwy 216 in Cottondale, next to Meaney's. It was raining, but I had a poncho. I was dedicated. I held that sign and waved at the people going by. If I remember correctly, Gerald's brother in law, Robert Shirley was out there for some of it (and now that I think of it, Mr. Shirley and my current pastor look a lot alike, COOL!!). Then, I saw a man run a red light (slowly, odd in Tuscaloosa) and have a wreck. It looked like he had a heart attack. Many gathered, including me, to make sure he was ok. I think he ended up being fine. Oh, then, on election night, I don't know how except maybe my handwriting and math skills put me ahead, but I got to write the vote totals by county as they came in on the big white marker board at the post-election party. Yeah, I was inner circle that night and proud of it!
Then, several years later, I got to see elections from the newsroom side of things. I was the one typing the numbers up so they could go out over the air. I got to see people run around like chickens with their heads cut off. I got to see live election coverage from behind the scenes. That was amazing. Sure, we weren't the biggest station around, but we worked hard to get the results, and we were 100% local by golly! I was there during the 2000 Presidential Election. Boy wasn't that exciting. haha. I wouldn't trade those moments for anything. Even though I was production, and not news, I learned a lot about the news business there on Jug Factory Road. Plus I'm still friends with folks from there and I've been gone 8 years! 8 years gone, can you believe it?
Now, I keep up with the election from my computer. I see Artur Davis, who did a very solid job in Congress try to run for Governor without playing the political game with his votes & actions. He lost, BIG! Politics is a tough game. The race for the GOP gubernatorial nomination is VERY close. Good to see Dr. Robert Bentley, a well respected Tuscaloosa doctor and just well respected as a person too, in the hunt. Congrats to him. I hope he makes it to the runoff. Not a Tim James fan. Like father like son, I say. Alabama doesn't need to be Fobbed again. Plus, that commercial would make Bama a laughingstock. I'm just glad Roy Moore didn't make it. I have no use for him. He reminds me too much of the Pharisees in the Bible (and they're not fair you see. C'mon, you knew you were singing it). Troy King seems to have lost because he didn't back Riley's Raids. I see that in my home gerrymandered district (come on, it goes from west Jefferson county down through the black belt and into Montgomery and is shaped like the letter C, It's GERRYMANDERED!), our old rep's son couldn't make it through. Good, I'd be afraid he was like his Dad. Hey Earl, how is Quaddafi these days? But you still have Sheila Smoot there. Anyone who was in Bham/JEFFCO politics, you should vote against them on principle. Ah, Alabama politics.
At least it beats Baltimore politics. I'm sick of hearing on NPR about the $121 million budget deficit the city is facing. It's the radio version of "a select coalition of all-white fraternities and sororities designed to influence campus politics." Turn it into a drinking game if you so desire.
What else is up? Glee was on tonight. It was, um, odd. OK, that ending funk song had me alternately, laughing at them, laughing with them, loving it, hating it, embarrassed for them, etc. It looked like what Soul Train would have been if produced by the ACLU.
I'm jealous of my friend Brandon. He got to go home for a few days PLUS he lives in Atlanta, home of the FIRST PLACE BRAVES!! I work in Baltimore, home of the embarrassment known as the Orioles. It just isn't fair. haha
Finally, I watched Chopped on Food Network tonight. For those unfamiliar, up & coming chefs, usually pretentious, are given a basket of ingredients and must make a meal out of it. All are given the same ingredients and one person is eliminated or "chopped" (aha clever!) each round. The ingredients are usually odd, ones they wouldn't normally use, or use together, and ALL the ingredients must be used. I leave you with this. In the dessert round, hot dogs was one of their ingredients. I think I threw up in my mouth a little and probably shed a tear. So wrong.
Well, I may attempt sleep. Who knows.
Anyway, it was fun keeping up with the Alabama elections online. It has felt odd since I stopped being involved in election coverage. Actually, my first real election experience was back in 1994 when Gerald Allen first ran for State Representative. I actually got to help on the campaign. I even held a sign one day. I remember it vividly. I was at the intersection of University Blvd, 15th St, and Hwy 216 in Cottondale, next to Meaney's. It was raining, but I had a poncho. I was dedicated. I held that sign and waved at the people going by. If I remember correctly, Gerald's brother in law, Robert Shirley was out there for some of it (and now that I think of it, Mr. Shirley and my current pastor look a lot alike, COOL!!). Then, I saw a man run a red light (slowly, odd in Tuscaloosa) and have a wreck. It looked like he had a heart attack. Many gathered, including me, to make sure he was ok. I think he ended up being fine. Oh, then, on election night, I don't know how except maybe my handwriting and math skills put me ahead, but I got to write the vote totals by county as they came in on the big white marker board at the post-election party. Yeah, I was inner circle that night and proud of it!
Then, several years later, I got to see elections from the newsroom side of things. I was the one typing the numbers up so they could go out over the air. I got to see people run around like chickens with their heads cut off. I got to see live election coverage from behind the scenes. That was amazing. Sure, we weren't the biggest station around, but we worked hard to get the results, and we were 100% local by golly! I was there during the 2000 Presidential Election. Boy wasn't that exciting. haha. I wouldn't trade those moments for anything. Even though I was production, and not news, I learned a lot about the news business there on Jug Factory Road. Plus I'm still friends with folks from there and I've been gone 8 years! 8 years gone, can you believe it?
Now, I keep up with the election from my computer. I see Artur Davis, who did a very solid job in Congress try to run for Governor without playing the political game with his votes & actions. He lost, BIG! Politics is a tough game. The race for the GOP gubernatorial nomination is VERY close. Good to see Dr. Robert Bentley, a well respected Tuscaloosa doctor and just well respected as a person too, in the hunt. Congrats to him. I hope he makes it to the runoff. Not a Tim James fan. Like father like son, I say. Alabama doesn't need to be Fobbed again. Plus, that commercial would make Bama a laughingstock. I'm just glad Roy Moore didn't make it. I have no use for him. He reminds me too much of the Pharisees in the Bible (and they're not fair you see. C'mon, you knew you were singing it). Troy King seems to have lost because he didn't back Riley's Raids. I see that in my home gerrymandered district (come on, it goes from west Jefferson county down through the black belt and into Montgomery and is shaped like the letter C, It's GERRYMANDERED!), our old rep's son couldn't make it through. Good, I'd be afraid he was like his Dad. Hey Earl, how is Quaddafi these days? But you still have Sheila Smoot there. Anyone who was in Bham/JEFFCO politics, you should vote against them on principle. Ah, Alabama politics.
At least it beats Baltimore politics. I'm sick of hearing on NPR about the $121 million budget deficit the city is facing. It's the radio version of "a select coalition of all-white fraternities and sororities designed to influence campus politics." Turn it into a drinking game if you so desire.
What else is up? Glee was on tonight. It was, um, odd. OK, that ending funk song had me alternately, laughing at them, laughing with them, loving it, hating it, embarrassed for them, etc. It looked like what Soul Train would have been if produced by the ACLU.
I'm jealous of my friend Brandon. He got to go home for a few days PLUS he lives in Atlanta, home of the FIRST PLACE BRAVES!! I work in Baltimore, home of the embarrassment known as the Orioles. It just isn't fair. haha
Finally, I watched Chopped on Food Network tonight. For those unfamiliar, up & coming chefs, usually pretentious, are given a basket of ingredients and must make a meal out of it. All are given the same ingredients and one person is eliminated or "chopped" (aha clever!) each round. The ingredients are usually odd, ones they wouldn't normally use, or use together, and ALL the ingredients must be used. I leave you with this. In the dessert round, hot dogs was one of their ingredients. I think I threw up in my mouth a little and probably shed a tear. So wrong.
Well, I may attempt sleep. Who knows.
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