Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's Weekly Homework Assignment. This week, I chose the following post: Write a poem about a memory you sometimes wish would disappear.


The fourth of July ...
A day to hold your head up high ...

But on that day, my brother did die.
And sometimes I still question why.

I try not to think about it.
But to this day, I can't understand why he quit.

He thought he took the easy way out.
But he never really thought about ...

The family and friends that still mourn to this day.
There really must've been another way.

On the fourth, I'll probably raise a shot or two.
Because, brother, I really do miss you.

Wacky News Stories

Happy 4th of July weekend, all! Grill and eat some great food, and be careful with the fireworks.

1. On former 80s teen pop sensations Debbie Gibson and Tiffany being cast opposite each other in a Syfy original movie.
"Hopefully they'll allow somebody else to do the soundtrack ..."
http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/24/debbie-gibson-and-tiffany-to-appear-in-syfy-film/?hpt=T2

2. On Spirit Airlines ad that feature oil-drenched women in bikinis with the slogan: "Check Out The Oil On Our Beaches."
"Good thing Spirit wasn't around during World War 2 ..."
http://www.couriermail.com.au/travel/news/sexy-spirit-airlines-oil-disaster-ad-sparks-outrage/story-e6freqwo-1225883735645

3. On Kellogg Co. voluntarily recalling about 28 million boxes of Apple Jacks, Corn Pops, Froot Loops and Honey Smacks cereals because an unusual smell and flavor from the packages' liners could make people ill:
"In a related story, they're considering renaming Fruit Loops to Fruit Pukes ... than you, I'll be here all week!"
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/article/wireStory?id=11013306

4. On a 6-year-old Ohio girl who was placed on 'No-Fly' list:
"That'll teach her to build Lego bombs!"
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/26/year-old-ohio-girl-placed-fly-list/?test=latestnews

5. On a man who allegedly entered a woman’s apartment on Thursday night, and pushed the woman around, grabbing $38 out of her purse and demanded she “make him an egg:"
"I'm guessing this theft didn't go "egg-shell-ent."
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/jun/25/make-me-egg-robber-tells-evansville-victim/?partner=popular

Dope or Nope ...

A coworker of mine came up with this one - I think in response to the Joran Van Der Sloot situation. Apparently, Joran (or should I call him Mr. Scumbag) has been getting a lot of marriage proposals since he's been behind bars. This seems to happen everytime some heinous murderer who gets a lot of public attention goes behind bars.

It's happened with Manson and a bunch of his minions. In fact, I think one of the females who went to jail was married 3 different times ... WHILE SHE WAS IN JAIL! Here's my guess as to why this happens - the people doing the proposing (a) want to get their 15 minutes of fame, (b) are mentally unstable themselves, (c) really don't think the person will ever get out of jail and find it kind of funny, or (d) for one reason or other think that there is some good in this jailed numbskull.

So, what are your thoughts on this? Proposing to someone in jail - dope or nope?

80's Corner

I'm pretty sure roller derbies became huge in the 1970's, but I first "discovered" roller derby on ESPN in the early 1980's. Note, this was back when ESPN didn't really have enough options to fill their stations, so they relied on pro wrestling, roller derby, and Australian Rules Football back in the day.

Roller derby was interesting in that I think there were only 4 or 6 teams, and I specifically remember one being called the Bay City Rollers. It was all scripted, much like wrestling. There were "good guy teams" and "bad guy teams," and it usually depended on who the coach was.

I remember there being trades involving "good guys" going to "bad guy" teams, and all kinds of crazy storylines. But, as ESPN grew up, I guess they saw no need in roller derby programming anymore. Sad days indeed. I know that there was some sort of revival going on in roller derby, and I believe they even had a tv contract. Not sure where they stand now.

Song of the Week ...

ACDC is a hard-rockin' band. They don't stray too much in their songs - you get simple, yet great and heavy guitar riffs, adolescent lyrics (I'm not complaining), and a pretty simple yet up-beat drum beat in every song. You know what you're getting (again, I'm not complaining).

There is one song they did in their "earlier" days with their first lead singer Bon Scott (who died the classic rock-star way - via alcohol and drugs). The song - "It's a Long Way to the Top If You Wanna Rock and Roll" is similar in that it has classic ACDC guitar riffs, BUT they include a bag-pipe towards the middle of the song and it takes it to a whole-new level.

Somehow this song is often forgotten by radio stations who seem to focus on the "standards" like "Back in Black" or "Shook Me All Night Long."

Fast Food Corner

I guess theoretically, Panera Bread can't really be considered a "fast-food" place, because the food is ... well ... healthy. However, the concept of fast food is to get your food fast, right? So, if this is the main qualifier, than Panera is indeed a "fast-food" place because they get you the food fast.

Now, this is not my normal idea of fast food, but I don't mind going there from time-to-time. I went there this past Friday, and ordered one of their "two-fors," which basically gives you the option to purchase 2 of the following - soup, salad, or sandwich.

I chose the soup and sandwich. The sandwich was some sort of turkey and bacon sandwich with a honeyish spread, on some sort of white/wheat bread. The sandwich was forgettable. But, the soup wasn't.

Panera makes a damn good french onion soup ... sure, sure, it's not a difficult soup to make ... BUT, it is a difficult soup to make "perfect." Panera does it well. The cheese is perfectly melted, and not burnt. They throw just enough croutons (or whatever the bread-like stuff is in the soup) as to not overwhelm the soup. Just a perfect piece of soup. Next time, I'll probably just forget about the sandwich and just get an extra-large bowl of the soup.

Breaking News !!!!

Big news, folks ... after a few years of trying, the wife and I have finally done it ... and God help us all! Yep - we are pregnant (finally)! It looks like the stork could be paying us a visit as soon as Thanksgiving (gulp!). And, it also looks like it may be a boy ... which would mean that I finally have my "mini-me!"

I'll keep y'all posted as we progress through this most exciting time ... and feel free to pass along any tips!

Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's Weekly Homework Assignment! This week, I chose the following prompt: Write a letter to whatever is stopping you from losing the extra weight you’d like to lose.

Dear Oreo Cookies,

Why? Why, oh why do you taunt me? I can make it through an entire day without thinking about you. But, not long after dinner, I hear you calling. At first, it starts with a whisper. I ignore. The whisper gets louder. Beads of sweat begin to accumulate on my forehead.

I go upstairs, running from the inevitable. Maybe if I surf the net for a while, I'll forget about you, Oreo. But you won't let me, will you? The whispers turn into screams, and these screams are answered by the rumbling in my belly.

Like a magnet, I'm attracted to the cabinet where you reside. It seems like there is no force that will be able to prevent me from eating you. You win again, Mr. Oreo ... well played!

Wacky News Stories

Thank goodness for air-conditioning!!!!

1. On incidents of drunkenness plummeting since Budweiser became the only alcohol available at the World Cup:
"See, I knew the South Africans had good taste!"
http://www.thedailymaverick.co.za/article/2010-06-18-open-letter-to-budweiser-please-will-you-sponsor-all-south-african-sport-wholesale-rates-available

2. On a man being jailed for making a bubble with his gum in court:
"BP is considering using this as a solution for the gulf oil mess ..."
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/melbourne-magistrate-jails-man-for-blowing-bubble-in-court/story-e6freooo-1225881131218

3. On Joran van der Sloot's Mom claiming her son is not a murderer:
"Oh, I didn't realize she had another son besides Joran ..."
http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/article/exclusive-joran-van-der-sloots-mother-speaks-time/story?id=10935217

4. On a man calling 911 because the stripper he ordered off of Craigslist was too old:
"Looks like we have another great candidate for congress!"
http://www.ocregister.com/news/reported-253482-woman-caller.html

5. On a report that pot smoking can worsen schizophrenia:
"In an unrelated report, lots of drinking can worsen driving ..."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37779968/ns/health-addictions/

Dope or Nope ...

How 'bout those Vuvuzelas (sp) at the World Cup? Lots of news stories on them. It seems like most people are annoyed by them, as they sound like a swarm of hornets. These South Africans blow them the ENTIRE game.

To me, it's not a big deal - it's part of their culture. Plus, after a few minutes, you don't even notice them anymore. Why should we go into South Africa and complain about their culture anyway?

And besides, who are we to complain - we have those absolutely ridiculous thundersticks at basketball games!

80's Corner

The 1980's was the decade of the "Buddy flick." We saw some great movies like Lethal Weapon (Danny Glover and Mel Gibson), numerous Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder movies ... but who could forget (or remember) the "classic" Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell flick called "Tango and Cash?"

OK, truthfully, it ended up being more comedic than anything. There were such "memorable" lines like the following:

Ray Tango: When this is over, we have to pay Jabba the Hutt here a visit.
Gabriel Cash: I'll bring the chainsaw.
Ray Tango: I'll bring the beer.

This happens throughout the movie, folks. There's even a line in the movie when Stallone says, "Rambo's a pu**y." Crazy stuff indeed!

Song of the Week ...

I once followed this local band that became semi popular towards the end of the 1990's. The band, which still exists today but has gone back to being a cover band, is Love Seed Mama Jump. They can pretty much be explained as a party band with uppity and catchy music. We followed them all around the Philadelphia area in the 1990's - they were just plain awesome.

Their first "studio" album is called "Baked Fresh Daily," and is quite entertaining all the way through, with a mix of covers and some great original material, including a song called "Free." It's a "hippie-type" song in its message, but is catchy, simple, and complicated at the same time, with an enjoyable harmonica played throughout the song.

For one reason or another, it was not meant to be for LSMJ. In some ways that's good - for instance, my brother and I got to see Pete Weidmann (sp) play a show recently and chatted with him (Pete is a member of LSMJ, and wrote most of their songs).

There's not much out there on youtube, but here's a video of them that might give you a taste:

Fast Food Corner

I wouldn't call Hibachi a fast food place, but it is a chain. It is similar to Benihanna(sp), in that it is a Chinese/Japanese style restaurant where the chefs cook the food directly at your table. Hibachi also has a sushi section, which is quite nice. Not sure if the the other Hibachi's have this, but the one in Springfield (Delaware County) has an "all-you-can-eat" sushi experience in the downstairs section ... I recommend going there if you are extremely hungry, because the price per person is about $25 ... not outrageous, but not cheap either (you can sometimes find coupons in the clipper magazines).

Anyway, they used to serve the sushi "buffet" style, but now, you order it, which keeps it fresh. Folks, let me telly you, the food is delicious! You have to have the shrimp-fried rice - words cannot describe it. The sushi is above average (or at least the cooked kind that I get), but they also have other non-sushi items on the menu like chicken wings (which are ok at best), and chicken strips in some sort of honey-glaze (which are unbelievably good), and their soups are fantastic too. The service is friendly and relatively quick, and it never seems to be too crowded.

I highly recommend this all-you-can-eat in Springfield!

Wacky News Stories

Can't wait for the "Hot enough for ya?" comments to start!

1. On a study that reports anticipation can raise happiness for weeks before a holiday, but afterward the boost can end quickly:
"In other news, birds have feathers."
http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-vacay-20100613,0,2600430.story

2. On a 6-year-old boy who wandered naked into a bar:
"I guess the parents needed a baby-sitter?"
http://www.wlky.com/news/23865493/detail.html

3. On Pat Robertson telling a woman to make herself look more attractive to stop ‘flirting husband:’
"I can't understand why Pat Robertson is so misunderstood ... no wonder God thinks very highly of him ..."
http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0612/pat-robertson-tells-woman-attractive-stop/

4. On a new study that reports that professors who rate highly among students tend to teach students less, and professors who teach students more tend to get bad ratings from their students:
"In other news, water is wet ..."
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/college-inc/2010/06/study_high-rated_professors_ar.html?hpid=sec-education

5. On Van der Sloot planning to tell where U.S. teen Natalee Holloway is buried:
"He's also planning to tell Bud Selig all the players he sold PED's to."
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Dutchman+tell+where+teen+Natalee+Holloway+buried+report/3142891/story.html

Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's weekly homework assignment! This week, I chose the following prompt: Describe a happy reunion. This one has nothing to do with me ... directly.

I became a Rolling Stones fan in the mid 1980's ... right around the time they released their Dirty Work album. Shortly after this album, the band broke up, and it seemed as if they might not ever get back together. Mick was more interested in his solo career. Keith was so pissed that Mick would leave "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band," that he vowed never to talk to Mick again.

I remember sometime my freshman year of high school wishing that I was born earlier, so I could experience a Stones concert ... something that was probably never going to happen again. Oh well, at least I had their music, right?

However, things began to happen around 1988. Mick's second solo album, Primitive Cool, was a flop. The Stones were being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and they actually all agreed to be on stage together. During the ceremony, Mick and Keith actually hit it off again, and ... well, they decided it was time to get the band together, make another album, and put on a monstrous world tour (probably all for me I'm guessing).

The tour was Steel Wheels ... I remember hearing that tickets for the concert in Philly were going on sale the week I was on vacation with my parents in Myrtle Beach. I was pissed and sad! There was no way I'd ever get to see them live again, because obviously, this would be their last world tour (I've seen them 7 more times since, by the way).

As luck would have it, my good friend Johnnay slept out for tickets (remember when we had to do that?), and was able to get me one. It was an historical moment for me .... that summer I got to see the Who AND the Stones! I remember being in line at Veteran's Stadium for the concert (The Stones opened in Philly because their original venue, JFK Stadium was condemned after a Grateful Dead show ... weird) and getting a picture taken by a photographer from Life Magazine ... sadly, the picture never made it to the mag, but that's OK, it was a fantastic show!

I remember the opening band, Living Color - a pretty popular band at the time (it makes sense that they opened, because Mick produced their first album). They were great, but they couldn't hold a candle to the Stones. Mick, Keith, Charlie, Ron, and Bill rocked out - I remember hearing the intro "musical" part of the song Continental Drift ... it kept getting louder and louder, until a loud "Boom!" And, that's when the Stones hit the stage with "Start Me Up!" The rest of the concert is a blur to me, but man did I have a great time!

80's Corner

The 1980's gave us "candy-rock," and "hair-metal" with bands like Cinderella, Poison, Motley Crue, Kix, and yes, even Bon Jovi. It seemed like the more hair and ripped jeans, the better the band.

I've always wondered what the true heavy metal bands of that era thought about the candy-rockers - you know the bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath. Was this the same way that bands like U2, the Stones, and Zeppelin felt of the candy-pop artists?

Dope or Nope

It seems like most cell phone companies offer "mail-in rebates" for popular phones. You buy the phone at the list price, then you send in a receipt with the UPC code, and in 4-6 weeks, you get your rebate. The thing is that most cell phone companies do not give you a check ... nope. Instead, they give you a rebate "gift card," which acts like a credit card.

Seriously, I'd much rather just have the check. Why are you making me use this stupid gift card? Do I even have an option for a check (I believe the answer is no, by the way)? Why do they do this?!?!??!? (I know the answer - so that we can continue buying more, more more!).

How do you feel about this? Shouldn't a rebate be given as a check (or at the very least, shouldn't you be given the option to take the rebate as a check)?

Song of the Week

Cheap Trick often gets forgotten when it comes to "rock." Truthfully, they are more of a power-pop band, known really only for one major song - Surrender, but their catalog of music has many, many great songs.

One song I absolutely can't get enough of is Dream Police - it's along the same lines as Surrender, having a similar beat, and guitar riffs/hooks that could probably be placed in Surrender without anybody knowing the difference ... but that's a good thing, right?

It's just a fun song, light-hearted, and toe-tappingly addicting (which most Cheap Trick songs are, with the exception of "The Flame," which was far more serious than Cheap Trick should ever get ... but I digress ...).

Congrats Cori and Melissa!

I had the pleasure of attending my cousin Cori's wedding on Saturday down near the D.C. area, and we had a great time - it's not often I get to see him, his sister or his parents (my uncle and aunt), so it was extra special.

The ceremony was held outside in a beautiful setting, and was about 15 minutes (which is what every wedding ceremony should be, by the way). The weather was humid, but we managed to stay "cool" with beverages. Just a fantastic beer selection at the reception - Guiness, Magic Hat, and Stell Artois to name a few beers.

The food was fantastic - it included a pasta station, fish station, and a "meat" station which offered the tri-fecta of steak, pork, and turkey (and yes, I partook in the tri-fecta).

Afterwards, we went back to Cori's parents' house for a picnic/barbecue. Good times all around!


The Fam!



Cori and Melissa


My brother and I "chillin.'

Fast Food Corner

As you may have read a few weeks ago, I was quite upset with the folks at Subway because they didn't open their restaurant early enough for breakfast. Well, I finally got a chance to sample the Subway breakfast ... and folks, it was worth the wait!

I ordered myself a double bacon egg and cheese omelet on flat-bread, and my wife ordered some sort of ham, egg, onion, pepper and cheese on a muffin. We both also got a side of hashbrowns. Both our orders came to around $8.00, and it was money well spent.

First, the sandwiches were nowhere near as greasy as McDonalds and Burger King breakfast sandwiches (this is usually not a problem when hung over). They also seemed to just taste fresher. Plus, Subway gives generous side portions of hashbrowns ... and no, they're not as good as McDonalds, but they are a pretty close second.

The price and quality of the breakfasts are outstanding ... now, if they can just open earlier!

Wacky News Stories

Heckuva season, Flyers! Thanks for the memories!

1. On an off-duty Chicago cop who was caught on video downing five shots before getting into his car and killing two people having charges dropped:
"Really, something underhanded going on in Chicago?!?!? Next thing you'll tell me is that water is wet!"
http://www.suntimes.com/2354708,thanksgiving-day-crash-charges-dropped-060410.article

2. On seven seniors at a Southern California high school facing disciplinary action for participating in a game called "Beat the Jew" in which losers were subjected to "incineration" or "enslavement:"
"Apparently, the ring leader was named 'Bob' Hitler ..."
http://cbs2.com/local/Facebook.Beat.The.2.1732981.html

3. On a judge extending workers compensation for a Montana man after ruling that while smoking marijuana before feeding grizzly bears is "ill advised" and "mind-bogglingly stupid," it was not a "major factor" in his mauling:
"However, the 85 boxes of Twinkees he was eating may have been a culprit ..."
http://www.krtv.com/news/man-mauled-by-grizzly-after-smoking-pot-gets-workers-comp/

4. On a gym telling a woman that she's too fat for workout equipment:
"Interesting use of reverse psychology ..."
http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=12593024

5. On the FDA to start enforcing standards on what constitutes "virgin" and "extra-virgin" olive oil.
"Sounds like something that should be displayed on Cinemax After Dark ..."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100604/ap_on_bi_ge/us_olive_oil_standards

Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's weekly homework assignment! This week, I chose the following prompt: Soundtrack of your life: Pick 10 songs that you would have on a soundtrack for your life, pick a line from each that you most identify with and write a short statement of why this song made it.

As you probably know, I love me some music! To some, I'm probably a music snob. I'm always looking for new music to listen to, or to inspire me (inspire me to do what? good question!). Anyway, this list isn't going to be new music - just music that I've been inspired by in the past/present. In no particular order ....

10. Waiting on a Friend by the Rolling Stones - One of my all-time favorite lines ever is in this song - "A smile relieves a heart that grieves." Just absolutely wonderful.

9. Days by the Kinks - A hauntingly beautiful song ... kind of reminds me of my older brother. The line "Thank you for the days, those endless days, those sacred days you gave me" brings a tear to my eye almost every time.

8. All Together Now by The Farm - I picture college in my head ... our apartment, senior year ... I see the bar we built, and the awesome stereo system ... ah, the memories! My favorite line from this one - "The same old story again, All those tears shed in vain, Nothing learnt and nothing gained, Only hope remains."

7. Fight For Your Right to Party by the Beastie Boys - This song reminds me of high school, and high school parties (most of which my parents wouldn't let me go to ...). This song just brought on a major adrenaline rush! Love the opening lyrics - "You wake up late for school man you don't wanna go, You ask your mom "please?" but she still says "NO!""

6. All I Want is You by U2 - It's my wife and my wedding song ... best day of my life! How 'bout these lyrics - "But all the promises we make, From the cradle to the grave, When all I want is you."

5. TNT by ACDC - Say what you will about this band, but their music as awfully catchy. This would be my entrance theme if I was a wrestler. These are some crazy lyrics (not sure exactly what is meant) - "So lock up your daughter, And lock up your wife, Lock up your back door, And run for your life."

4. Wir Lieben Die Sturme by Heino - A German "volks-musician" that my parents absolutely love - I probably heard his music almost every day as a child growing up ... yes, at the time it was annoying, but it reminds me of my parents and of my childhood ... you probably wouldn't understand the lyrics, so I won't bother ...

3. You Just Don't Move Me by Keith Richards - I had gone through a pretty hard breakup in high school, and this song soothed me. My favorite lyrics - "Now you wanna roll the dice, You already crapped out twice ..."

2. Bandages by Hot Hot Heat - We had just purchased our house, and were working on it almost every day in the spring and summer, and this song was being played quite a bit on Y-100 ... it reminds me of the excitement of our first house. Fitting lyrics (based on the cuts and bruises I got from working on the house) - "These bandages cover more than scrapes, cuts and bruises from regrets and mistakes."

1. Give it Up by K.C. and the Sunshine Band - This was when I was in middle school and just getting into "pop-music" before I smartened up with rock music ... It just reminds me of listening to 98-WCAU-Hot-Hits as an adolescent. Love these lyrics - "Everybody wants you - everybody wants your love. I'd just like to make you mine oh mine."

80's Corner

Remember New Kids on the Block? They were like the Backstreet Boys of the 1980's ... they were a certified teenie-bopper group that little adolescent females fell head-over-heels for. Thankfully, the fad died out by the early 1990's. However, these guys have made a comeback of sorts in recent years ... going on two semi-successful "world" tours.

Even though those adolescent females grew up, they never grew out of NKOTB ... for some reason.

The Gaslight Anthem ... interesting name for a band that sounds an awful lot like the Replacements ... which is not a bad thing. They have a number of good songs on their "The '59 Sound" which debuted in 2008 ... and shockingly enough has been mainly ignored on America's mainstream stations.

Their song, Casanova, Baby! has a snappy beat to it, with a nice guitar undertone in the background ... certainly not a "garage" sound, but not far from it. In addition to the Replacements, I detect a little Springsteen ... again, not a bad thing. Someday, maybe, the U.S. radio stations will smarten up and give this group a shot.

Have a listen - see what you think:

Dope or Nope ...

So, what are your thoughts on pro wrasslin'?

Is it an escape from reality, where you get to watch complex stories unfold, and latch onto good vs. evil? A "show" where you can tune in every week, and root on your favorites? Do you hearken back to the 1980's when Hulk Hogan was taking on Roddy Piper and Mr. Wonderful in the "Rock vs. Wrestling" era? Do you wish you could see another Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Rock match? Were you in heaven when the Monday Night Wars were at their height?

Or is it absolute horse-crap? Would you rather watch paint dry? Does this seem more absurd than NASCAR (sorry, NASCAR fans) or Paris Hilton? How can people possibly sit and watch this fakeness and talk about it?

So, where do you stand?

Fast Food Corner

Burger King recently started promoting barbecue ribs ... I know what you're thinking - "This may be the single worst idea in the history of fast food." Well, being the blogger that I am, I needed to try these ribs for myself.

First, a little background. McDonalds every once in a while promotes a McRib sandwich ... apparently, it's barbecue pork patties on a sandwich. For the record, I've tried this sandwich once, and it was awful. The Burger King ribs are actual ribs, which already makes this better than the McRib.

A couple of things about this "entree." The ribs themselves are actually not that bad. I'm not saying these ribs are as good as something you'd get at a fine steak and ribs restaurant. But, they're not bad.

The problem is that Burger King gives you so few ribs - 6 of them ... AND they're cut in half, so they are tiny. Plus, the price for such little food is quite high. I bought a value meal with 6 ribs, and it costs around 8.50 ... you can probably go to Chili's or Appleby's and get an entree that is cheaper than this.

All in all, it was not as bad as I thought, but pricey.

DBT 2010

Today is a very, very special day! Sure, it's special partly because it's close to my birthday ... but it's special for another, much more important reason. Today is our annual DBT ... dive bar tour! This is our 6th edition of this wonderful event, and we couldn't be more excited about it.

Basically, we take public transportation up and down Mac Dade Blvd. and Chester Pike, going from bar to bar. Truth be told, not all bars on this "tour" are dive bars, but quite a few of them are ... and that's kind of what makes it fun. For instance, one bar has no beers on tap, and sports an air conditioner on a dinner tray. Another bar still has records in its juke box (or at least this was still the case a few years ago).

We've had some classic moments over the years. For instance, one DBT regular was actually giving directions to the bus driver ... the bus driver who drives the route probably 8 hours a day. This DBT regular also almost got into a fight with a biker - the biker made fun of his shirt (we all wear the same shirt on the bar tour), and asked said DBT regular who made the shirt. He responded, "My friend and I ... and your mom." Good times!

Here's our shirt design for this year. If you're in Delco and are planning on going to a bar on Mac Dade or Chester Pike in the afternoon thru night, maybe you'll catch us there.

Funny Movie Scene

I'm a HUGE fan of Anchorman ... I know that there are some of you who don't like it ... I beg of you to go back and watch it again ... just so many quotable lines.

One of my favorites is this scene:

Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's Weekly homework assignment. This week, I chose the following prompt: “What did you once lose? Write about your search to find it again.”

The middle school dance was a big happening - you actually got to go back to the middle school at night, drink orange soda, eat pretzels, listen to cool music, and tell diarreah jokes (well, that's what my friends and I did there). Every once in a while, you might even be lucky enough to dance with the "hot" girl during Stairway to Heaven (longest slow song ever!). The cost of the dance was $2.00, from what I remember, and the orange drink was $0.25 a cup. This, of course, meant that I had to bring money with me, and instead of just leaving the money in my pocket, or better yet, using a wallet, my mom gave me some sort "coin purse."

But, this "coin purse" wasn't an ordinary coin purse ... no, because it was made of leather, and had a soccer player on it (obvious to all that it was made for a man). And the purse was small enough to fit in my pants-pocket, without looking too weird (hey, that kid must be really excited!). I carried my dance money and orange soda money in said purse ... a bounty reaching nearly $3.00. The "D.J." began playing that song "Shout" that was made popular in Animal House, and let me tell ya, the kids all were "ga-ga" over it. My friends and I even took time out from the diarreah jokes to partake in the dancing to this diddy! It got to the point where we all did the "alligator" on the floor and were having a great time.

After the song ended, I went back to my usual spot on the wall with my friends, when I noticed I lost my cool coin purse and the remaining 50 cents in it! I was devastated. How could I possibly go home without it? What would my mom say? Would I ever be allowed to go to a dance again? I began to cry (certainly not a manly thing to do, but understandable considering the treasure I had just lost). My cousin Trish got her friends together to help form a search party for the coin purse. The D.J. even made an announcement to assist in the search.

The tears running down my face did apparently touch the heart-strings of a few gals at the dance, as I was able to slow-dance with quite a few of the popular girls ... a fantastic tactic if I do say so myself. The search party was successful, by the way, finding the soccer player coin purse in about 15 minutes. What a relief that was! All in all, a successful night - I found my coin purse, I was able to slow dance with the cute girls, AND I was able to purchase some orange soda.

Wacky News Stories

Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day with lots of grillin' and lots of "beverages."

1. On police arresting a teen they say broke into a high school after hours and released a bag of crickets:
"I'm just hoping they weren't 'crotch crickets.'"
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/maryland/teen-arrested-after-allegedly-releasing-bag-of-crickets-into-school-building-052810

2. On two high teachers being placed on paid administrative leave this week after a parent complained that they distributed classroom materials that gave advice on how to deal with police if stopped:
"First piece of advice - don't say, 'I smell bacon!'"
http://hamptonroads.com.nyud.net/2010/05/two-norfolk-teachers-put-leave-over-material-about-police

3. On police pulling over a mother with two kids in her car for allegedly driving drunk with a blood-alcohol level of 0.39:
"The late Ted Kennedy thinks she was too drunk to drive ..."
http://wcbstv.com/local/mom.dwi.drunk.2.1719565.html

4. On a man being arrested for robbing someone at the Family Dollar.
"He almost made off with another to get on the bus ..."
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/05/27/1282143/lexington-man-charged-in-armed.html

5. On an intoxicated man interrupting a memorial service at a funeral home before passing out in the visitation room:
"Hey ... burp! What does a guy have to do for a beer around here?"
http://wvgazette.com/ap/ApTopStories/201005260286

Happy 4th of July Weekend, All

Sometimes, we forget what this country is all about ... sadly, we all let politics divide us. It would be great if we all could just look around every once in a while and realize just how good we have it.

I have friends on both (all?) sides of the political spectrum, and my political beliefs probably fall somewhere in the middle (moderate?). I can see the good and bad in both ideologies. In theory (an ideal world), both probably would work great - sadly, it's never ideal, and there are always people (again, on both sides) who take advantage of situations, which end up hurting many, many more people (the entire country?), and ruining trust in our political "leaders." But I digress ...

The hope is that instead of throwing stones at each other, that we try and work together to improve the country. We have far too many "rabid" people on the radio and in the press who make it a point to divide us even more. We need to stop listening to/reading these narcissists (again, on both sides). Hopefully, someday, we'll be able to do so.

Happy 4th of July, all!

80's Corner

Gummy Bears have been around for quite a while ... heck, I remember getting "care packages" from Germany with Gummy Bears when I was little (think 1970's). I don't think they truly took off in this country until the 1980's ... this is when gummy bears flourished in our culture.

Thought gummy bears were only chewy foods? Wrong! They became SO popular that a cartoon was created in their honor ... I'm pretty sure there were gummy teddybears too ... heck, maybe even gummy-bear trading cards.

Personally, I was fine with just the gummy-bear chewy candy ... but that's just me.