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Tuesday, September 30, 2008

[Hollerin'] Hey Dads!

I'm sorry for this string of video posts. I know some people don't like them.

Lately, things going on with me are too personal or too political, both of which I don't write in depth about. Sooooo, I give you this PSA that happens to be adorable!

For SAHD's and dads that work out of the home:




Sunday, September 28, 2008

Try NOT thinking about it

I know you've done this before.

You hear a song. It's okay. Cutesy. PoPiNg on all the radio stations.
Cornballish. Big hit. Bit dorky. All the little girls love this one.

Makes me want to get out my big hair, head sweat band, leg warmers, and do aerobics.

Go ahead, listen to it. You'll do at least a couple head nods or booty shakes.

I can't get the flippin' song from playing it's loop in my head!








Thursday, September 25, 2008

Sweet Baby James



I stole permanently borrowed a James Taylor, Sweet Baby James, album, yes, the 33.5" black vinyl huge ass album, from a house Karin was babysitting at when I was 15.

I still have it and love it like a fat kid loves cake.



Being a forever fan of JT, I have followed his career and life, singing praises to his successful career and forgiving him (and Carly) for not making their marriage work.

It's been a couple years since I have listened to him on a regular CD rotation. Last week, while getting ready for work, I heard him singing a song [on Good Morning America] that I never really liked before. I have tried to find it to down load, but this is all I can find.

"... and I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time ..."

[Glen Campbell never sounded so convincing as James]




Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Wonderment Wednesday

I am verklempt.

Who knew?



And he hid it so well.
Yeah Clay, it's about time!


Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Tanya Phunker

As we were going through the Country Music Hall of Fame, I came across this dress and tidbit of info on Tanya Tucker.

Instantly, the Rolodex in my mind started spinning. As I have posted before, I have many stories of concerts and musicians.

Seeing her dress cracked me up and I recalled a "Tanya" story.

In 1994, I had a boyfriend, I'll call him *Frank*, who laaaaa-ved Tanya! She was coming to perform locally and so I surprised him with tickets. Great tickets, like so close I am sure I saw the boogers in her nose kind of tickets. Yeah, I'm convinced she had nasty boogers.

She was wearing this (sweat soaked) red, white, and blue shirt during her performance and promised to auction it off (ewwww and pew) after the show, proceeds going to a local charity. Indeed, she removed it after the show and the auction began. [She had a tiny camisole under the shirt that revealed she had horrible back acne.]

*Frank* was bidding like crazy, but didn't win the shirt. He was so disappointed. I decided next best thing would be to get him back stage to meet her.


I used my persuasive oratory and sure enough she was sitting there holding court for her mostly male fans.

*Frank* was a very hot looking guy and once we made our way up to her, she began talking with him.



Hummm, is she flirting?

It was late, party over and security was boot-scooting everyone out. Tanya got up and we were asked if we'd ... WE'D AS IN BOTH OF US ... like to step out to the tour bus.

Did I hear a "hail yeah"?

Her security ushered us out the back door and the bus was there with the door open. She stepped in and *Frank* was right on her heels. Just as I approached the opening, about to take my first step up ::: slam ::: the doors were closed.

WTF?

I turned around, security was ignoring me. Everyone was ignoring me, especially Tanya.

So being the mature pissed-off lady that I was, I fist-pounded on the glass doors alternating flipping off the security guy in the bus while yelling "Open this f'ing door you zit-back bitch."

I know ... not a cool visual, eh?

To *Frank's* credit, he thought the whole thing crazy and shady and at the same time was backing up, out of the bus and trying to exit.

"Hey boy, git back here. I ain't done"


That was it, we left, security didn't say a thing, and neither of us could believe what happened.

So, I am not really a fan of hers.

I'm sure the whole thing was a big misunderstanding. [smirk]


Monday, September 22, 2008

72 Hours of Nashville Nonstop Fun

LJ, Buddha, and I rolled into Nashville totally unaware that Ginger was going to make sure we had an unbelievably, fun-filled time.

Our first stop from the airport was to the Sunset Grill for a fabulous dinner.


John was able to get some awesome seats for that evenings Eagles concert. It was the best concert I have been to in a long time. Glenn invited me to bring them backstage and to reminisce about high school days, but I had to pass because we were all so tired from such a long day.

(Glenn did extend the invite, right? Did you guys heard it too?)


I especially enjoyed the time spent in the downtown area. Honky-tonks, having a few drinks, people watching, the street musicians and the bar bands.



Where else can you go to "The American National Bank" for a tattoo?


... Or get boob-fisted by Elvis?




*click on pictures to enlarge*




Ginger, who has a beautiful voice, sang a few songs.

LJ, who also has a wonderful voice joined her on stage for a duet.






Ginger hosted a bloggers meet-up party at the Flying Saucer on Saturday night. Such a super turn out. I'm still lurking around some of the new bloggers sites. Chris at My Quiet Life , has some of the most beautiful photos of Nashville. I especially like the candid shots of people on his photography site. There is one shot, I think I'm going to have to buy ... breath taking.

Please read John, Ginger, and Laura's posts for more photos and stories.

John? Laura? Ginger? Just in case your photo (or 50) of the AT&T Building, aka the "Batman Building" accidentally got deleted, here's one I took. Feel free to lift it. [wink]




My Nashville Weekend:


*~*~ * I'll have a post with photos as soon as I catch up at work *~*~*


Saturday, September 20, 2008

You Know The Sound, Can You Name The Band?

Another rerun (05/31/07) while I am in Nashville listening to some great music.



This band of musicians had more number one hits than Elvis, The Beach Boys, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones combined.

They were the band for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. Diana Ross & The Supremes. The Temptations. Marvin Gaye's. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, even young Stevie Wonder's band.

The early recording artists at Motown all had the same band. A band of session musicians hand picked by Berry Gordy from the jazz clubs and hole in the wall bars of Detroit. They were musicians, employed at Hitsville USA.

Not many can answer the question.

Until the 2002 documentary came out, finally acknowledging these great musicians behind the original "Motown Sound", I'll bet it would be hard to find anyone who could name just one member.

Joe Hunter, Earl Van Dyke, Eddie "Bongo" Brown, Jack Ashford, Richard "Pistol" Allen, William "Benny" Benjamin, Robert White, Joe Messina, Eddie Willis, James Jamerson and Jack Brokensha were original members.

These musicians never got the fame and notoriety that came out of Detroit with the hits they helped make. Their pay was for session work, no royalties. In the early 70's, when Berry Gordy moved Motown to LA, they weren't part of the move. They were replaced with members of The Wrecking Crew, LA's collection of studio musicians.

My cousin by marriage, was one of just a few white guys that was employed by Berry Gordy. I remember him talking about this new "girl" group that was going to be big, really big. Indeed, Diana Ross and The Supremes did leave their mark.

I started to research what these guys did with the years that followed, but decided to leave it out. Most didn't have the happily ever after ending, or have passed away.

The name of the band?

The Funk Brothers


Friday, September 19, 2008

Mexico 1973 ~ The "Magic Bus"

Since I'm in Nashville having a great time, I thought I'd rerun an earlier post (06/22/07) about one of my very early traveling experiences.


Jen at Get In the Car, along with a couple of her girlfriends, recently packed up the kids and headed to Mexico for a vacation. Sounds like she had a great time, and her posts brought back memories of my time spent there. After I left a comment of disbelief that they would drive there, I realized it has been 34 years since I lived there. I am sure many things have changed, one being the safety of driving around so freely. Jen suggested I share a story. I have so many, and some crazy ones that have surfaced in the past few days since she jogged my memory.

I was 18, just graduated from high school and lived in middle class burbs of Detroit. I was a "hippie" type chick ... loved the look, but thankfully had definite hygiene addictions. I met Bob, at the Aorta, just before my senior year was over. He was 21, a pot smoking, vegetarian, anti-anyone over 30 hippie, raised by a nice Catholic very well to do family, father being a top executive at Ford.

We decided to go to Mexico as soon as I graduated. I think the farthest I had ever traveled was up north on "vacation" when I was little ... about 200 miles away. And so we were going. I bought hiking boots, a back pack, got a passport and we literally stuck out our thumbs on I-75 in Royal Oak, MI ... headed to Mexico!

Like I said I have tons of stories, and maybe I will pepper the months ahead with them, but for now, I will tell one that was funny ... but maybe you had to be there. * buzzed *

We were in Santa Cruz, on the beach. Anytime we came to a town, any American or Canadian, or English speaking person for that matter, became your best buddy in less than fifteen minutes.

As we sat on the beach, a VW van pulled up. Yeah, all painted with peace signs, flowers, tie-dyed curtains, beads, the whole hippie thing. They got out and it was two couples. Lets just call them the Mama's and Papa's ... same look, singers, guitars, free spirits ... you get the picture. We all sat there watching dolphins swim by, talking about where we have been so far, our adventures, playing frisbee, and I recall some sharing of the mota. The Mama's showed me how to tear apart a pair of my jeans and sew the two inner seams together up the front and the outer seams up the back so I too, could have a long blue jean skirt like they were wearing.

After the sunset, Bob and I grabbed our gear and headed to a local family's piece of property to hang out hammocks to sleep for the night. *That's another story, renting trees for hanging hammocks was a must or you would be robbed and attacked by banditos unless you were paying a local to watch over you*

The next morning, Bob and I were going to head out, so we got up early, packed up our gear, then decided to go say good-by.

We headed to the beach and there we saw it. The van. The VW hand painted, right out of Haight-Ashbury hippie van. In the ocean. Water, almost up to the windows. We started yelling to them and they opened the door .... kinda.

The night before, after we left them, they all crashed, (probably with a little more mota) never giving a thought to the fact that they pulled in at low tide and were rocked asleep throughout the night with the high tide. Giving a whole new meaning to high tide.


Thursday, September 18, 2008

Nashville, it's Largest Industry is Health Care

And do you know why it's largest industry is health care?


I'm sure there is a connection somewhere with all those broken-hearted love songs coming out of that city.

Well, I made that part up, but it could be true.

In just a few hours, I'm heading to the airport and flying there to meet up with John, Ginger, and Laura.

[Wait does this look like John is planning something?!?!?]


Later tonight, we'll be at the Sommet Centre all excited to see these dudes:

The Eagles

[ Umm, yeah, we won't talk about the "what ifs" from my past. ]

Ginger has arranged a blogger meet-up at The Flying Saucer for Saturday night. From the RSVP's, looks like quite a few will be there.

I won't be able to post about this trip until Sunday ... [and per John] after photo approvals.

I hope they all aren't the "What happens in Nashville stays in Nashville" type.

On second thought, until my weekend is over, I better not criticize that mantra.


Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Making Jam, Lucy and Ethel Style

I've come to accept when my sister Sandi and I decide to do a project together, we morph into Lucy and Ethel. And that's not a bad thing considering it brings laughter.

Sunday we decided to take these:


*I really took this shot so I could ask ... do her cupboards have an orange tone to them? Sandi thinks so but I don't. They aren't dark cherry, but a medium tone. I love them.

We blanched the peaches and begin the production line of skin and pit removal.

Pretty aren't they?


Wait, I see something not so pretty.


Ah-haaaa secret ingredient maybe?

(wormy)

Then they were diced and stirred with sugar ...
measured and added by Sandi because I haven't a flippin clue as to ratios.


We begin the boiling process.


And boiled.

And boiled some more.


We took the *temperature*, but it never reached the required temp.

We decided the batch wasn't cooperating.

We got out the Foley Mill.


(g00gled for photo)

Nope I had no idea it was called a Foley Mill ... did you Sandi?

We processed the whole batch through this mill,
then returned it to the stove to boil.

An hour later, this mixture was boiling like crazy,
but still not reaching the correct *temperature*

Well, hell it looks done, lets get it into the jars.


Mmmmmm, worked perfectly.

*Temperature*
Okay, so during cleanup, it was discovered this white sleeve? This one that slips over the part that goes into the boiling mixture? This sleeve that we never removed? Was probably why it wasn't giving us the right reading.

::: forehead slap :::

Monday, September 15, 2008

SNL - Palin / Clinton

If you missed it, here's SNL's best ever new season opening.
Both hilarious and scary!




Friday, September 12, 2008

Smart Car, Dumb Joke



Yesterday, Sandi and I were at a stop light and a Smart Car went by. It was the first one either of us have seen.



Sandi: Look at that car, look how small it is.

Me: Not much of a comfort factor.

Sandi: Just think if you got hit in one of those.

Me: Oh, I'm sure they have body bags on the doors, dash, and in the back.

Sandi: You mean air bags.

Me: No, I mean body bags ... you'd never come out alive.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

16 and 30 in the 313 on 9 11

Happy Birthday Michael and Andy!


September 11th, Michael and Andy, two of my nephews birthdays.

Andy is 16 and will get his license.
And his moms Saturn.
And his freedom, well sort of.




Michael is 30
THIRTY
Bwahahahaha
Knowing Michael, once the shock is over,
he'll begin to worry about turning 40.



Wednesday, September 10, 2008

3rd Race at the Honeymoon is Over Downs

*If you can't have the volume up (kids, work) watch it later*








Monday, September 8, 2008

Art and Apple Festival

Rochester, Michigan Annual Arts and Apple Festival

This past weekend was the local 43rd Art and Apple Festival.

Over 250 artists from all over the country came, set up their tents and prayed for good weather.

The municipal park will have hosted over 100 thousand people from Friday through Sunday.


Just after the morning downpour, the sun came out, dried everything and left a perfectly sunny, with a slight cool breeze day.

My nephew is in the local high school marching band, and they provided great entertainment for the crowd. Yo Andy!

The food, the drinks, the entertainment, the home made apple pies, the a'la mode melting in the sun, kids, dogs, old and young. It's always a huge draw to our downtown.

I walked from one end to the other and through the overflow into the blocked off streets with my sister. I'm always amused by the "crap" some call art and left in awe by some beautiful, albeit unaffordable, things.

*also, my other nephew, Captain Obvious, is having a fabulous contest, go check out his post "Pass it On". Just leave a comment for a chance to win!