Vigil at the Top

Photo by Annisa Lam (former member of Stock.exchng)

Licensed photo DO NOT COPY

Currently I am keeping the following in my thoughts & prayers:

MY MOTHER IS HAVING HEALTH PROBLEMS...silent heart attack, diabetes,Stage 4 breast cancer....a big LONG list. I am very worried about her....she has a surgery coming up and we find out when it is today (July 14).
______________

Victoria "Tori" Stafford...an 8-year-old who went missing in Woodstock,Ontario. I am sad to say that two people have now been charged with her abduction and they are searching for a body. I am glad that one of the suspects is helped to look for a while...I have never heard of anyone doing that.
3 months later....they are still looking and the family is sad because it is Victoria's birthday.
_______________________


-----Laura Garza is a young woman missing in New York (Brooklyn)...since December 2008. The situation looks pretty dire. :-( I pray that closure is reached soon....extra prayers for the improbable happy ending. Six months later her family is still looking for her (when so many would go home and just think about it all the time). I hope some solid clues turn up soon.
Info:
She went out for an evening at the Marquee Nightclub and has not been heard from since. Foul play is suspected and the case is now being treated as a homicide.Laura has been missing for several months.Laura came to New York dreaming of going to dancing school and becoming an instructor.Laura is 25-years-old.Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800 577-TIPS or text tips to 274637 then enter tip577.
___________

-----Baby Gabriela. Let us hope that if a child does die with a match, that the timing/knowledge of Gabriela happens so that she can be saved.

-----This little boy who is clinically dead after being severely abused.
-----Ed McMahon has passed away.
-----A little girl who is basically allergic to modern life.
-----A little boy whose body is lost somewhere in a drain.
-----Another Gitmo detainee committed suicide.
-----The last remaining Titanic survivor passed away.

-----Baby allegedly attacked and thrown from car!!!
-----A UK baby with a brain tumor. Could use donations.
-----Caylee Anthony. I am so sad for everyone who loved her. I hope that the truth is found in this matter. Now they ARE seeking the death penalty for Casey Anthony.

-----Family/friends of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu whose body has been found in California. I hope that the last video of her skipping and happily swinging arms is something that the parents are allowed to have a copy of.
-----A young man who died after taking acne medicine
-----Good news! Lauren Richardson, who had a case similar to Terri Schiavo, is being given a chance to recover!
-----Patrick Swayze.
-----The family and friends of Jett Travolta. I am sure they are still hurting a lot. Hugs to them.
-----Wondering if Russell Crowe ever got baptized like he was talking about.
-----Jenny Lloyd, a little girl who has a rare disease where she can be literally scared t o death. I am not sure how the fund-raising efforts are going..."Jenny's Pennies." I hope that Jenny has gotten her dream of meeting Hannah Montana by now.
-----Apx. 16 children were orphaned as a result of a man dressing up as Santa and arriving with a guns and a flame-throwing device on Christmas Eve. This is something they will never be able to forget. I will definitely be thinking about them next Christmas.:-(
-----Heath Ledger's little daughter...who will grow up without her Daddy. :-( I am glad to hear that Heath's family decided to give her all of his assets with no fighting. One does not always see family members do the right thing after someone dies. I glad that Michelle Williams is taking a year off to focus on her daughter.
-----That Madeleine McCann and Natalie Holloway are found soon....or what happened to them is found.
-----War...I am tired of it. I realize that some wars are needed for protection of one's country or of fellow human beings...but all I see is War, anymore.
-----The family and friends of Maria Sue Chapman (daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman). Maria was only 5 and died in a tragic accident several months ago. Maria's Miracle Fund
-----Heather is fighting very hard against brain cancer.
-----A beautiful baby named Kayla passed away after a valiant struggle with cancer.
-----The family and friends of Lorraine Allard. Lorraine passed away after delaying cancer treatment in order to give birth to her son.

Note:
This post is in no particular order. Prayer/thought requests just go to the top as I hear more about what is going on. If you can think of a way to help these people, PLEASE do so. This post will be second-from-the-top during the midst of an emergency (such as an Amber Alert).

I also keep a very Personal Vigil at times (for those I know outside of the news and the Blogosphere). If you are on here, be warned that I will be an excessively-huggy-encouragey-person and we will get through this. :-)

Note: I would not advise linking to this post...you will wind up with a broken link each time I have to change the post-dating to keep this a Vigil at the Top.

I can't have an Armani Suit anytime soon....but, I can certainly have Armani Jeans.

I have long wanted to have a simple Armani suit....but, of course, monetarily this is not easy. Jeans would be much more doable for me.

I am attracted to the nice cut. I also like that there is both a look of thickness and stretch in the jeans that I am contemplating. I may end up finding myself buying all three pairs of the jeans below!!!
___________________

Potassium Straight Leg

These would look great under a blazer...which is where I would wear them. I own a LOT of blazers and a few of them would look really good with these jeans. I have a Worthington blazer in mind that would work with this (purchased at a JCPenny BOGO or BOGO for 88cents sale). These would look REALLY good under a blazer.

Embroidered Skinny Flair Fit

This is an online exclusive....which makes it all the more appealing to me (as I love stuff that not everyone will have). I do not currently own a dark flared pair of jeans....or any jeans that are not just for yardwork for that matter. I used to be obsessed with flared jeans though...and owned many similar pairs at one time. I could amuse Husband when I wear these by reminding him of our early dating (when I often wore similar jeans) and singing "Reunited" by Peaches n' Herb as I open the box....you have to know me to understand that I REALLY would do this.

Grey Straight Leg

I don't often see anyone wearing gray jeans. I like the color gray and would seek out a suitable blazer to go with these jeans (get the feeling that blazers are a theme in my wardrobe?).

When I said that I can have Armani Jeans, I really can.
The new Premium Denim Jeans (which can be found on the Armani Exchange site) start at $98.00. I have known many people who have spent at least $60.00 on good jeans. I think I will set aside a little money and try out at least one of these jeans (shipping is reasonable and I saw that a lot,if not all, of the items have free returns if dissatisfied). . I have always considered Armani synonymous with style and quality cut. I am pretty sure I will be happy with my intended jeans....now I have to decide which pair.
----Who knows...maybe I will start saving up for that perfect Armani Suit, too.

_________________

text A|X Contest:
Win a pair of jeans! You can enter every day in July by texting the keyword the keyword "DENIM2" to ARMANI (276264). One winner is chosen from among each day's entries. Info on how this contest works.

I always love deals:
Purchase a full price pair of denim from Armani Exchange, in store or online, between 7/7/09 – 7/19/09 and you will receive a gift card for $20 off your next purchase of $100 or more, valid 7/30/09 through 8/15/09.

A|X Blog..."Where Fashion,Music and Culture Meet"

More of my 100 Things About Me......

1.I don't really like the Onion (satire). I don't often find it funny. I have been trying to give the videos a chance as of late...so many people are fans.
2.My Doggie is able to say "I love you." Doggie is also able to play dead and to beg....but sometimes does these before you ask (in anticipation of possible treats).
3.I detest superficial people.Be real and enjoy life. I wish I did not spend so much time being upset about the way superficial people treat others.
4.Eventually I will have many,many Christmas cacti. Right now, I have three. Make that 2 as I gave one to someone as a part of the Play-It-Forward game Akoha.
5. I am impressed by Jarvis' rendering time in Iron Man. I wish creating things really worked that way...at least if you were creating something for a morally-correct purpose.
6. I want the CW series "Valentine" to come back.There are four episodes up on Hulu...but I know more were shot. At the very least, couldn't what was shot be put up on Hulu?
7. I wish that there were more kindness and compassion in the world. I see so much that is just the opposite.
8. I also want the Internet series "QuarterLife" back. I was glad to see the actor who played Eric on Quarterlife in an episode of Valentine (which, of course, has also been discontinued).
9. I am a big fan of BlogHer and other things that empower a woman. I am not a militant feminist....just a believer in the fact that women can have a beautiful strength. :-) I would like to attend BlogHer in person at some point (instead of just reading about it and attending the virtual version in Second Life).
10. I play a mean/insane game of Munchkin. Funny moment recently....the GM prohibited me from giving Husband "gifts." I don't usually win.....but I add a lot of humor/death to the game.
11. The only person I ever IM is Husband. I don't like being tied to a conversation for hours anymore. Gone are the days when I can talk to people overseas until dawn....because the person is so nice/interesting (and ignores me when I say that I must sleep sometime). I do Twitter at my own pace.....and manage to talk to about a thousand people.
12. I worry a super-lot....about everyone and everything. Yet, I am one of the strongest people that I know (in the long run).
13. I tried putting cottage cheese in my spaghetti. It really didn't taste like much of anything...neither good nor bad.
14. I wish that there were more time in my days. One thing that I would do if I had more time is photography every day. If it weren't bad for me and the weather permitted, I would also take Doggie out to sit in the sun every day while blogging.
15. I type over 60 words-per-minute but I don't feel that is fast enough.When I take typing tests, I get nervous & seize up...then I only score about 41 words per minute.
16. I wish that Top Chef were viewable online. It used to be my fave show...but now we don't have cable. I do watch Hulu....a lot.
17. I am Christian but I will not force you to be.
18. I collect Chaucer....different versions, critiques, analyis, etc...I appreciate any suggestions for my collection.
19. I put money in a piggy bank.I like to give neice,nephews,friend's children a piggy bank as one of their earliest presents. I send/give coins for the piggy bank as a life-long gift (I do give other gifts).
20. I have crayons & use them.A pet peeve of mine is that new boxes of crayons are always a little hard to open up. I am very picky about my coloring pages (links to good pages are always appreciated).
21. I like George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord"...except when it is annoying.
22. I would like to change a lot of peoples' lives for the better while I am here on earth. This wish is always overhung by the fear of Death that I have.
23. I am a big fan of Random Acts of Kindness.
24. My favorite saint is St. Barnabas who was called "The Encourager." I try to encourage others. I have a very hard time encouraging those who are mean to me (& sometimes I don't encourage them).
25. I wish that I had more people encouraging me.
26. I like toerings but they don't get along well with my feet.
27. My favorite nail polish is a shiny purple color called "Gregarious." I like to put appliques on my nails (though they do not stick for long).
28. My favorite scent is Green Tea.
29. I like the book "Love Letters of a Lifetime" whose foreword is written by Dana Reeves. I used to write my husband a lot of love letters but I haven't in a while. I also enjoyed reading a book of Ronald Reagan's love letters to Nancy.
30. I used to read my husband a lot of poetry but I haven't in a while.
31. I usually do at least two floral arrangements a week....one fake and one real/real with some fake.
32. I like marriage retreats, workshops, seminars, books, etc. My favorite lecturer on romance is Gary Chapman who wrote "The Five Love Languages."
33. I should burn candles more often. I try a lot of different candle scents. I love having different candle holders. I am not candle obsessed and will not burn the house down. I am approaching being candle-holder-obsessed.
34. I can now have full drinks (of alcohol).It used to be that it could interact with my thyroid medicine & put me into a shock which will put me into a coma followed by death....a really good reason not to drink. I have started trying going without the medicine....something that some do with my level of thyroid problems (I just had not because I have goiter problems and am symptomatic). I am trying various natural things to deal with my thyroid. I am actually LOSING weight now that I am off the thyroid medicine. Wish me luck.
35. If I could drink a lot of something, it would probably be Kosher Blackberry Wine or sweet cherry wine.
36. I have never played lacrosse. It looks difficult.
37. I have a weight bench & various other small excercise equipment.
38. I have a newspaper from the day America declared war on Iraq.
39. I would love to learn how to operate a ham radio.
40. I am going to do podcasts sooner or later.
41. I have seen St. Elmo's Fire....the phenomenon (I have seen the movie too, of course).
42. I have used to have lightning on one of my credit cards & a poster of lightning in the living room. The reason for this is that my hair often stands almost straight up when it storms close by.I have come within inches of being struck by lightning on a sunny day (with no storm in sight). Just call me Sparky.
43. We have a "Annual Pumpkin of Sorrows Toss." We write everything that upset us that year on a pumpkin & toss it from really high. It makes a loud exploding sound & is a neat photographic experience.
44. I like to eat frog legs.
45. I am very particular about the size of the spoon that I use. I like to use a Japanese soup spoon once-in-a-while. I do not like using plastic spoons for oriental soups....for some reason your lips eventually hurt (combo of the sharp edges of plastic and ingredients in soup, I think).
46. I use chopsticks at least once a week & even have several non-disposable chopsticks in my silverware drawer.I own sets of stainless steel chopsticks.
47. I want to visit the graves of diseased family more often.
48. I am really good at research.I have a reputation for being able to find the most obscure facts.
49. I do not like to put fresh spinach on pizza at home...only canned spinach....reason being the fresh spinach often wilts too much or becomes slightly crispy in an odd sort of way.
50. I want to build my own teddy bear at some point.
51. If you are cheating on a really nice person & think that it is alright to tell me because I am your friend....I have been known to tell the person being cheated on. Off the top of my head: In one situation where I was forced to do this the person doing the cheating instantly realized they were wrong & forgave me for telling. In another situation, the cheater temporarily convinced them that there was no cheating...temporarily. Don't cheat on a really nice person who does nothing but love you.
52. I detest mangoes. I like mango lemonade. Bolthouse Farms makes a good mango lemondade...but I am scared to drink it because of a juice scare a while back. I do not hold Bolthouse responsible for the juice problem...it was determined that it was consumers who did not follow proper storage procedures. During the juice scare though I noticed that some grocers did not refrigerate this juice properly. Sad....since I liked a few of the Bolthouse juices. I will have to look for a recipe for Mango Lemonade and see if I can order from Bolthouse.
53. When I hear a commercial with music that I like, I wish that I could press a button on the TV and get more info or order the song. Please someone make me a music-ordering TV that does not invade my privacy in any way or sell my info. Thanks.
54. I love to make lists. :-)
55. I tried mixing fruit punch and Pepsi. That tasted OK...even good. It needs some sort of alcohol though and I have not decided what.
56. We are slowly collecting the bits and pieces for an amazing and very homemade darkroom.
57. There are two pop culture staples that I both frequent and am wary of......Walmart and Oprah. I am working on writing a series of blog posts about Oprah's recommendations and how I follow some of them....these posts will be titled "Cheap-Rah." When I say Cheap-Rah, I keep picturing She-Ra (Princess of Power) holding her sword up and shouting "I have the power!"
58. I think Alison Sweeney has very pretty hair....when it is curly.
59. I think that at times Virginia Woolf was a pretty woman.
60. I have never heard anyone speak Esperanto....but I would like to. I wonder how difficult a language it is to learn.
61. I will be forever amazed at this woman who managed to carry her nephew to safety despite being mortally wounded.
62. I feel sad for Michael Jackson's children.
63. I really want to see The Dakota. This was the building where John Lennon and Yoko lived. It is also featured in the movie Vanilla Sky. It has some beautiful iron work.
64. I own a dollhouse that Husband and I are working to restore. Right now it is a Victorian with green pastels. I want it to look somewhat reminiscent of the apartment building in "The Crow"....in a pretty not scary way.
65. I can't even do one pullup. I find this frustrating.

-----Shaq's hope for how he wants to spend a year after his retirement is interesting. More interesting, would be if it was visibly apparenent when/if he incorporated Kung Fu into basketball playing.

Humor and Smiles

-----A man walks into a bar....
-----Shaq's tribute to Michael Jackson. I wish that more people were willing to unabashedly make whatever statements/tributes they wanted about whatever they value. I wish that more people found a way of being Playful in today's serious/ambitious society.
-----I still get so many hits of people looking for "Pamela Anderson's Google Dress"...which a reader helped me figure was actually done in Photoshop. How many years will the Pamela Anderson Google dress searches go on?

Shopping Cooties, Respectful Jurors and Kitlers

-----The "five second rule" in shopping. There is a difference between real cooties and perceived cooties. Ever wonder why stores that don't recycle throw all the returned bags out??....it's because enough customers complain that the old bags might have germs. Which shopping precautions do you think are legitimate and which do you think are irrational?
-----A post about how one should behave while at jury duty. This applies to people who are called to jury everywhere (not just in Philadelphia where the post takes place). Let us hope that the cell phones especially are taken from people who sneak them in.
-----3 years ago, I posted about this cat that looked like Hitler. I don't know that I could have a cat that looked like Hitler (besides the allergies that I sometimes get with cats).I noticed that the Hitler cats site has expanded greatly...they are called "Kitlers."

Red Rose=Blue Rose

A red rose that Husband gave me a few years ago.

-----Possibly no smoking at Sturgis soon?

My "100 Things About Me" is slowly being completed.

1.I don't really like the Onion (satire). I don't often find it funny. I have been trying to give the videos a chance as of late...so many people are fans.
2.My Doggie is able to say "I love you." Doggie is also able to play dead and to beg....but sometimes does these before you ask (in anticipation of possible treats).
3.I detest superficial people.Be real and enjoy life. I wish I did not spend so much time being upset about the way superficial people treat others.
4.Eventually I will have many,many Christmas cacti. Right now, I have three. Make that 2 as I gave one to someone as a part of the Play-It-Forward game Akoha.
5. I am impressed by Jarvis' rendering time in Iron Man. I wish creating things really worked that way...at least if you were creating something for a morally-correct purpose.
6. I want the CW series "Valentine" to come back.There are four episodes up on Hulu...but I know more were shot. At the very least, couldn't what was shot be put up on Hulu?
7. I wish that there were more kindness and compassion in the world. I see so much that is just the opposite.
8. I also want the Internet series "QuarterLife" back. I was glad to see the actor who played Eric on Quarterlife in an episode of Valentine (which, of course, has also been discontinued).
9. I am a big fan of BlogHer and other things that empower a woman. I am not a militant feminist....just a believer in the fact that women can have a beautiful strength. :-) I would like to attend BlogHer in person at some point (instead of just reading about it and attending the virtual version in Second Life).
10. I play a mean/insane game of Munchkin. Funny moment recently....the GM prohibited me from giving Husband "gifts." I don't usually win.....but I add a lot of humor/death to the game.
11. The only person I ever IM is Husband. I don't like being tied to a conversation for hours anymore. Gone are the days when I can talk to people overseas until dawn....because the person is so nice/interesting (and ignores me when I say that I must sleep sometime). I do Twitter at my own pace.....and manage to talk to about a thousand people.
12. I worry a super-lot....about everyone and everything. Yet, I am one of the strongest people that I know (in the long run).
13. I tried putting cottage cheese in my spaghetti. It really didn't taste like much of anything...neither good nor bad.
14. I wish that there were more time in my days. One thing that I would do if I had more time is photography every day. If it weren't bad for me and the weather permitted, I would also take Doggie out to sit in the sun every day while blogging.
15. I type over 60 words-per-minute but I don't feel that is fast enough.When I take typing tests, I get nervous & seize up...then I only score about 41 words per minute.
16. I wish that Top Chef were viewable online. It used to be my fave show...but now we don't have cable. I do watch Hulu....a lot.
17. I am Christian but I will not force you to be.
18. I collect Chaucer....different versions, critiques, analyis, etc...I appreciate any suggestions for my collection.
19. I put money in a piggy bank.I like to give neice,nephews,friend's children a piggy bank as one of their earliest presents. I send/give coins for the piggy bank as a life-long gift (I do give other gifts).
20. I have crayons & use them.A pet peeve of mine is that new boxes of crayons are always a little hard to open up. I am very picky about my coloring pages (links to good pages are always appreciated).
21. I like George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord"...except when it is annoying.
22. I would like to change a lot of peoples' lives for the better while I am here on earth. This wish is always overhung by the fear of Death that I have.
23. I am a big fan of Random Acts of Kindness.
24. My favorite saint is St. Barnabas who was called "The Encourager." I try to encourage others. I have a very hard time encouraging those who are mean to me (& sometimes I don't encourage them).
25. I wish that I had more people encouraging me.
26. I like toerings but they don't get along well with my feet.
27. My favorite nail polish is a shiny purple color called "Gregarious." I like to put appliques on my nails (though they do not stick for long).
28. My favorite scent is Green Tea.
29. I like the book "Love Letters of a Lifetime" whose foreword is written by Dana Reeves. I used to write my husband a lot of love letters but I haven't in a while. I also enjoyed reading a book of Ronald Reagan's love letters to Nancy.
30. I used to read my husband a lot of poetry but I haven't in a while.
31. I usually do at least two floral arrangements a week....one fake and one real/real with some fake.
32. I like marriage retreats, workshops, seminars, books, etc. My favorite lecturer on romance is Gary Chapman who wrote "The Five Love Languages."
33. I should burn candles more often. I try a lot of different candle scents. I love having different candle holders. I am not candle obsessed and will not burn the house down. I am approaching being candle-holder-obsessed.
34. I can now have full drinks (of alcohol).It used to be that it could interact with my thyroid medicine & put me into a shock which will put me into a coma followed by death....a really good reason not to drink. I have started trying going without the medicine....something that some do with my level of thyroid problems (I just had not because I have goiter problems and am symptomatic). I am trying various natural things to deal with my thyroid. I am actually LOSING weight now that I am off the thyroid medicine. Wish me luck.
35. If I could drink a lot of something, it would probably be Kosher Blackberry Wine or sweet cherry wine.
36. I have never played lacrosse. It looks difficult.
37. I have a weight bench & various other small excercise equipment.
38. I have a newspaper from the day America declared war on Iraq.
39. I would love to learn how to operate a ham radio.
40. I am going to do podcasts sooner or later.
41. I have seen St. Elmo's Fire....the phenomenon (I have seen the movie too, of course).
42. I have used to have lightning on one of my credit cards & a poster of lightning in the living room. The reason for this is that my hair often stands almost straight up when it storms close by.I have come within inches of being struck by lightning on a sunny day (with no storm in sight). Just call me Sparky.
43. We have a "Annual Pumpkin of Sorrows Toss." We write everything that upset us that year on a pumpkin & toss it from really high. It makes a loud exploding sound & is a neat photographic experience.
44. I like to eat frog legs.
45. I am very particular about the size of the spoon that I use. I like to use a Japanese soup spoon once-in-a-while. I do not like using plastic spoons for oriental soups....for some reason your lips eventually hurt (combo of the sharp edges of plastic and ingredients in soup, I think).
46. I use chopsticks at least once a week & even have several non-disposable chopsticks in my silverware drawer.I own sets of stainless steel chopsticks.
47. I want to visit the graves of diseased family more often.
48. I am really good at research.I have a reputation for being able to find the most obscure facts.
49. I do not like to put fresh spinach on pizza at home...only canned spinach....reason being the fresh spinach often wilts too much or becomes slightly crispy in an odd sort of way.
50. I want to build my own teddy bear at some point.
51. If you are cheating on a really nice person & think that it is alright to tell me because I am your friend....I have been known to tell the person being cheated on. Off the top of my head: In one situation where I was forced to do this the person doing the cheating instantly realized they were wrong & forgave me for telling. In another situation, the cheater temporarily convinced them that there was no cheating...temporarily. Don't cheat on a really nice person who does nothing but love you.
52. I detest mangoes. I like mango lemonade. Bolthouse Farms makes a good mango lemondade...but I am scared to drink it because of a juice scare a while back. I do not hold Bolthouse responsible for the juice problem...it was determined that it was consumers who did not follow proper storage procedures. During the juice scare though I noticed that some grocers did not refrigerate this juice properly. Sad....since I liked a few of the Bolthouse juices. I will have to look for a recipe for Mango Lemonade and see if I can order from Bolthouse.
53. When I hear a commercial with music that I like, I wish that I could press a button on the TV and get more info or order the song. Please someone make me a music-ordering TV that does not invade my privacy in any way or sell my info. Thanks.
54. I love to make lists. :-)
55. I tried mixing fruit punch and Pepsi. That tasted OK...even good. It needs some sort of alcohol though and I have not decided what.
56. We are slowly collecting the bits and pieces for an amazing and very homemade darkroom.
57. There are two pop culture staples that I both frequent and am wary of......Walmart and Oprah. I am working on writing a series of blog posts about Oprah's recommendations and how I follow some of them....these posts will be titled "Cheap-Rah." When I say Cheap-Rah, I keep picturing She-Ra (Princess of Power) holding her sword up and shouting "I have the power!"
58. I think Alison Sweeney has very pretty hair....when it is curly.
59. I think that at times Virginia Woolf was a pretty woman.
60. I have never heard anyone speak Esperanto....but I would like to. I wonder how difficult a language it is to learn.
61. I will be forever amazed at this woman who managed to carry her nephew to safety despite being mortally wounded.
62. I feel sad for Michael Jackson's children.

In My Life.....

-----Remembering a couple of years ago about this time when Tony Blair called upon Muslims to root out Extremists. Reading it further, I guess that I am calling upon myself to try to understand the whole issue. I try to understand all viewpoints of an issue and I feel like I am under-informed about this conflict. I do not truly understand what Extremists (and those who at least see their point) are alleging the West has done. There have been too many conflicts for me to keep up with what each side is saying. I guess war really does "escalate"....beyond understanding.
-----I still want to grow beebalm in order to make tea. It strikes me as such a pretty flower. I haven't found a place that sells the plants yet (I am not very good at starting from seed).

-----Thrift shop finds in between the many errands today (bills,grocery shopping,etc.).
*The Tender Bar: A Memoir by J.R. Moehringer. This book was a New York Times Bestseller and a New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the Year. It is about a young fatherless boy who befriends the patrons of a local bar (I am assuming something kind of pub-like).
*The Utah Dining Car: Junior League of Ogden Cookbook. I love dining car food. I don't know if all of the recipes are from the days before the dining cars (when there were dining stations)....but we will see. It is what I call a "real" recipe book....the kind I like reading and exploring from cover to cover.
*The Enchanted Broccoli Forest. The followup to the Moosewood Cookbook. Husband got a chuckle out of the title. It is a perfect book for me. There are a lot of recipes that strike me as thrifty. I am particularly interested in trying the Swedish Cabbage Soup....glad that I have some cabbage.

-----The San Andreas fault is giving off tremors.

MJ

-----The BBC has received complaints about its extensive coverage of Michael Jackson
-----Interesting last line....a thought about Michael Jackson's children.

I am interested (and was before as can be found in some places in my blog) in how the media approaches the Michael Jackson "stories." At times, I think coverage is inaccurate, in-compassionate and unfair. I try to read the coverage in little bits and use logic.

I have not gotten through the Memorial yet. I have just seen clips (particularly the Paris Jackson clip that is so featured) and photos. I have no real interest in seeing the musical spectacular....though I will at a time when I do not have problems with it sometimes being presented as such.

The other thing that I have hesitated on viewing the Memorial is the sheer sensory overload. I try to avoid situations where I might have strong emotions or judgments. I think taking the entertainment world (even grief) in small doses is sometimes better for my emotional health.

BluFrog is fun.

There is a fun BluFrog contest that is now in it's final days. I have just entered. :-)

Prize is to choose an experience:
-----Gaming package. Xbox 360 Elite Gaming System w/Rock Band 2 bundle.
-----New Year's Eve in New York
-----Lolapalooza
-----Richard Petty Driving Experience
-----Winter X Games in Aspen

If I won, I would choose the Richard Petty Driving Experience. I would take my Husband with....and count it as a great Birthday present (no matter what time of year we went). If finances permitted, and I would arrange it so they would, we would stay long enough to visit Walt Disney World. One of the best parts of the trip would be all of the photos that I could get of Husband smiling. If I don't win, I will still do this trip....just later rather than sooner. :-)


What is BluFrog?
An energy drink that I got to try around St. Patrick's Day. Husband and I took it on a road trip with us and had a nice toast to our Love (we are sappy and have toasts like this often). In a lot of ways, it is healthier than many energy drinks (including Red Bull).

What we thought of BluFrog?
-----I like it. It reminded me of guava juice (which I am fond of). I like that it has real fruit and does not have a strange aftertaste like Red Bull.
-----Husband was neutral about it. Apparently, Husband likes Red Bull. I need to ask Husband if there is a sugar crash after he is done drinking Red Bull. BluFrog has a lot less sugar than Red Bull.
-----I feel the serving size is perfect. It is just the right size for a boost without getting too much caffeine.
-----Husband and I both agreed on one thing: we like the can.

BluFrog...the official website covers all the newest developments. Blu Frog is everywhere....including Daytona. :-)
__________________


Video is an introduction to money-making with BluFrog.

What do you think???

I believe that this Congressman and possible Senate candidate is entitled to voice his opinion on the news coverage of Michael Jackson. I think that the timing might have been OFF in consideration of the Jackson family though....even if they do not currently know that it is being said at this time. I definitely object to reporters thinking that they can get statements from the family on this- I think that reporting it later would have been better and that the family would have had their "people" make a statement if they felt it was needed.

Thinking of the media, I started to wonder if there should be Bereavement Law governing when (and how) a reporter can question the grieving. Perhaps there could also be training/certification that one would have to go through to report on more sensitive topics. In other words, classes to teach the media Compassion.

Politicians could be required to take the Compassion Classes, too. Plus, there could be penalties for not following the rules set forth. The families involved can actually be emotionally scarred forever by some of efforts to get the "story" first.

Yes, I ask a lot. It is sad that I have to mention such a need at all. PASS BEREAVEMENT LAWS FOR MEDIA REPORTING FOLLOWING A DEATH. I will be so proud of media outlets and politicians if they do as they should in the first place....HAVE COMPASSION. The family of a celebrity should not be collateral damage in the fact that a celebrity has put their life on view.
______________

Since I am talking about how I feel about this video being issued, I felt I should actually go and look at it. Below is what was said.

-----Not really sure what I think of a new "Breakfast at Tiffany's"...even if it is a stage production.

-----GI who fought in pink boxer shorts got to return home for the 4th.

Cover of "Black or White" by Michael Jackson. First time I have ever been able to (almost) make out some of the lyrics.

-----Airlines cut down on costs...by eliminating things like spoons and magazines in some instances. The alternative fuel ideas are interesting to me.

-----Global warming is shrinking sheep?

-----Memories of Michael Jackson as a California Raisin

James Bond never used Norelco.....

Licensed photo. Taken by John Kovacich.

While talking about Norelco on BzzAgent I came across this entertaining account of how James Bond and other fictional characters shave. None of them use a Norelco.

I decided to indulge in my own creative fun and get rid of my Quantum of Solace DVD....only half-watched once....because I did not enjoy it. Sorry to James Bond fans that I did not enjoy this movie....but one of you might.

To win:
Leave a message on my Bzzscape posting letting me know why James Bond would like Norelco or how you would convince him to use Norelco.
OR
Leave a message here on my blog...avoiding spoilers on BzzAgent....letting me know why I should like Quantum of Solace or what highlights I should look for. I will rent it from the library and try watching it again.


I will do a random drawing on July 10....and will send the winner the DVD.

Bonus fun:
-----You get another entry if I am impressed with your answer. :-)

Benny & Joon is one of my favorite movies. I would assume that this is a less-likely-to-ruin-your-iron way to make grilled cheese sandwiches with an iron.

Things I've Never Heard Before....

-----Parents sending their children to swine flu parties. Not a good idea.
-----Discovery of a self-watering plant
-----Could the Blackberry in this man's pocket really have been all that saved him from sliding down a crevasse?

Wimbledon, Echolocating and Improved Job Hunts

-----Three Wimbledon players are feared to have caught swine flu. Also some staff members.
-----Human beings can learn echolocation?
-----Wristbands helping in job hunt. That is something that I am surprised to type.

-----Should the 1 dollar bill be replaced with the 1 dollar coin?

-----Auction of Michael Jackson items that was canceled. The background music and the furniture are beautiful.

Licensed photo...DO NOT COPY.
Photo by Quentin Houyoux.
Title: Maya Calendar
Description: Artifact of Maya Calendar in a sunray

-----NOW: Canada. Coupon to buy a Crush 2-Liter Soda and Get 1 Free. Expires September 30th.
-----NOW: San Diego Zoo's "Elephant Odyssey" exhibit has opened. I don't think I have ever seen a zoo that has that many elephants.
-----June 25: National Catfish Day. Thank you, to @realmustache for telling me about this.
-----July 3-5: Freedom Fiesta. 42nd annual. Seguin,Texas. It has a jalapeno-eating contest.
-----July 4-August 4: World E-book Fair. I attend each year. Thousands of e-books can be browsed and downloaded for FREE.
-----July 14: Obama will toss out first pitch at the All-Star Game.
-----July 29-August 2: Maine Lobster Festival. I was just reading a review of this event (and whether one should partake) written by the late David Foster Wallace. It is the 62nd Annual celebration.
-----August 15-16: Texas Testosterone Festival. I think it would make for some unique photographic opportunities.
-----August 30: The Virgin Mobile Festival will be FREE to many this year. It will feature Weezer and Blink 182. I wish that I could go because I would love to see Weezer perform "Pork & Beans."
-----September 20,2009-January 3,2010: The Artistic Furniture of Charles Rohlfs. Dallas Museum of Art exhibit.I am wondering about the framework under the piece shown...was this to store something on or purely decorative? Beautiful carving.
-----2011. Six Flags Amusement Parks 50th Anniversary Celebration. I plan to go to at least part of it. In less fun news, Six Flags had to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week.
-----Sometime: There is to be a biographical film about Sam Kinison. It will air on HBO. I wonder if they could get the actual celebrities for the "Wild Thing" video. I also hope that some of Sam's sermons from when he was a pastor are included.
-----Sometime: I am hoping that Iron Butterfly answers my e-mailed suggestion that they somehow digitalize Elvis singing In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida. Elvis would have been excellent at singing this song. :-) It would be neat to see. :-) Husband does a pretty good imitation of what this would be like....I ask him to do it for me all the time.

What's happening in your life (and on your blog)??? :-)
What else should I add to this list?

-----Expect to see more product placement in movies. The amount of money to be spent on this is astounding.
-----Botox may cure baldness?

FAO Schwarz - Big Piano
Uploaded by soanepowate. - Explore more music videos.

I have blogged this before...but I really enjoyed the performance. I am a FAO Schwartz fan.

Contests

-----You could possibly have your idea used in a Mustang commercial...and get a free trip.
-----Win a Dell Notebook Mini 10. Sponsored by Kid Rex (Search Engine that is for kids, by kids).
-----Win a Manta Front-Of-The-Line Pass. Many will win on this one. The Manta is Sea World's newest rollercoaster.

Oprah, Mobile Ads and House Samaritans

-----Good for her. Oprah treated staffers to a cruise.
-----Have you seen more car advertisements on your mobile phone's Internet recently? I am getting a Blackberry next month and will see if I notice this. I have basic Internet on my phone right now....and have not noticed ANY car ads.
-----I am glad that everyday people are trying to help others avoid foreclosure.