- #10. - Hello Fishy
#9 - Leftover Salmon
#8 - B.T., the Brico-Terrestrial
#7 - George W. Bush
#6 - Brick House
#5 - Love Monkey
#4 - Chattiefish
#3 - Snoop Troutietrout
#2 - Short 'n' Stout
--and the #1 Name on the list--
#1 - Brico Suave
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Top Ten Names He Rejected Before Choosing Bricotrout
Top Ten Names He Rejected Before Choosing Bricotrout:
#9 - Leftover Salmon
#8 - B.T., the Brico-Terrestrial
#7 - George W. Bush
#6 - Brick House
#5 - Love Monkey
#4 - Chattiefish
#3 - Snoop Troutietrout
#2 - Short 'n' Stout
--and the #1 Name on the list--
#1 - Brico Suave
Monday, October 30, 2006
Musical Monday #7
In honor of my #1 favorite monster/scary movie (see prior post--go now!), I present the unmistakable opening notes of "The Exorcist". The piece is actually titled "Tubular Bells", written by Mike Oldfield. Because of the popularity/notoriety of the movie, his musical theme is one of the most recognized in the movie industry.
I'd go back and check (but I'm too lazy...), but I think that all the instruments played on this piece were played by Mr. Oldfield himself. I remember thinking how cool that was when I heard about that. And he offered a sort of music appreciation class at the end of it. The music gets very sparse, and then he adds instruments, one by one, and basically narrates from that point on, telling us exactly what instrument is being added. Who knew that "The Exorcist" would be educational, too??
Well, it seems that Castpost is as fickle as Blogger. Eventually, I'll get the clip posted. In the meantime, I'll repeat the example from last week--the opening notes from "The Shining". Well, hell. Now the Castpost thing won't play. Must be the evil spirits having their way...
Well, I think I finally got everything working...
I'd go back and check (but I'm too lazy...), but I think that all the instruments played on this piece were played by Mr. Oldfield himself. I remember thinking how cool that was when I heard about that. And he offered a sort of music appreciation class at the end of it. The music gets very sparse, and then he adds instruments, one by one, and basically narrates from that point on, telling us exactly what instrument is being added. Who knew that "The Exorcist" would be educational, too??
Well, I think I finally got everything working...
Sunday, October 29, 2006
My Favorite Monster/Scary Movies
As promised earlier last week, here's my top ten list of my favorite monster/scary movies. They may not be the goriest, or most hi-tech, but I prefer them this way. They are far better movies than gorefests. I will almost always watch these to their conclusion if I happen upon them while switching channels. I got to see a couple of these over the past week while watching TCM's "Underground"--a series of old sci-fi/monster movies hosted by Rob Zombie (how cool is that??). I had no idea Mr. Zombie was such a skinny little guy. But I digress...
Here's my top ten faves:
#10-The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)--"Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!" Perfect example of substance over flash. Effects not all that good, even for 1951, but I suspect that in its day, it was quite discomforting. If a spaceship landed in D.C. today, no one would be allowed within miles. In 1951, you could bring the family down to look at it from no further away than 30 yards!
#9-Tales From the Crypt (1972)--No, not the cheesy HBO TV series. The original movie. Five tales of impending fate for five imperfect strangers. They are given the option of avoiding their fates - by avoiding living out the rest of their lives. Many memorable moments, including a young Joan Collins being murdered by Santa Claus. Also brings to mind the movie "Asylum", also from 1972.
#8-Frankenstein (1931)The granddaddy of them all. Not the first monster movie, but the first that truly made the genre such a hit. Frankenstein's monster was grotesque, the story was horrifying, and it was eaten up by the public--at least those who didn't faint! The attempt by man to play God once again fails. But at least he launched a whole new series of movies! By the end of the movie, you actually feel some pity for the monster. Perhaps the mob outside burning down the windmill was the real monster??? Hard to believe that the same guy who could play the monster would go on to narrate "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas"!
#7-Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954)--I can't remember exactly when I first saw this--grade school, I'm sure. I love this monster! He lives in the Amazon, swims around among some gorgeous scenery, and then falls in love with the girl on this boat. He swims a few feet under her as she's out in the water. He's just shy and horny. This movie was originally filmed in 3D, so there's lots of harpoons and bubbles and swimming towards the camera action going on. As with many of the monster movies from this era, you sort of have feelings for the monster by the end of the movie.
#6-The Omen (the original trilogy)--Creepy little kid is born as the anti-Christ. This is one series that I actually liked all three movies. Following Damien as a little boy, to his teenaged years, to his adulthood. You don't feel sorry for him in the end...
#5-Night of the Living Dead (1968)--This movie shows what you can do on an incredibly small budget. Yeah, the make-up is cheesy, and the dialog pretty cliche, but the story not only scared you, but also touched on race relations, family relations, distrust of government and the like. Great scene of zombies munching on intestines, organs and limbs at the burned out truck!
#4a-Young Frankenstein (1974)
#4b-Mars Attacks! (1996)--OK, so they're comedies. But fine examples of movies based on the genre. Young Frankenstein used some of the original's lab equipment, and used references to it and other Frankenstein classics. With a healthy dose of puns and laughter. Someone called in alot of favors for "Mars Attacks!". Patterned on the UFO movies of the 50s, its cast included over a dozen big-name, big-buck actors, including Jack Nicholson (in 2 roles), Glenn Close, Annette Benning and Danny Devito. And Tom Jones. While it could have become quite cartoonish, the movie was played seriously, and even had a couple of grotesque moments!
#3a-Poltergeist (1982)
#3b-Poltergeist III (1988)--Another trilogy that worked pretty well. Except for #2. And #3 was a little weak, but the concept of evil characters in the mirror (or any reflective surface) was a bit freaky. No, the scariest part of the movies are the deaths of those associated with the movies, in particular, the death of 12 year old Heather O'Rourke ("They're heeeerrrreeee....!). The real life stories are far scarier than the movies (though that clown in the picture still gives me chills...
#2-The Shining (1980)--"Heeeeeerrree's Johnny!" Stephen King's novel as envisioned by Stanley Kubrick. As mentioned in an earlier post, the music to this movie is amazing. The scenery outstanding (for the little bit that you get to see). While the movie's best scenes involve Jack, there are plenty of others. The tidal wave of blood from the elevator. The two very disturbing twins. Danny holding a large knife screaming "REDRUM! REDRUM!" This movie has just about all the good things that a horror movie should have. Great story, just enough blood, twists and turns. And Jack is phenomemal.
#1-The Exorcist (1973)--No real surprise here. This movie scares the bejeezus out of me to this day. To the point that I have only seen it all the way through without breaks twice in my life. I usually have to get up at the point where she first hears "rats" in the ceiling. Having been raised a good Catholic, I definitely remember the outcry that followed this movie. Crowds stood outside the theaters to pray for the souls that the devil would take from those who watched the movie. Some scenes were so disturbing that people got physically ill, or fainted. Certain scenes never made it to the screen as they were deemed "too graphic"--one of which is the famous "spider crawl" scene depicted in the b&w picture.
On the other hand, I spent an evening with Moose and watched "The Exorcist". She just laughed.
So there you have it. I would recommend all twelve movies (yeah, I know. That's more than ten. Deal with it.).
Here's my top ten faves:
#10-The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)--"Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!" Perfect example of substance over flash. Effects not all that good, even for 1951, but I suspect that in its day, it was quite discomforting. If a spaceship landed in D.C. today, no one would be allowed within miles. In 1951, you could bring the family down to look at it from no further away than 30 yards!
#9-Tales From the Crypt (1972)--No, not the cheesy HBO TV series. The original movie. Five tales of impending fate for five imperfect strangers. They are given the option of avoiding their fates - by avoiding living out the rest of their lives. Many memorable moments, including a young Joan Collins being murdered by Santa Claus. Also brings to mind the movie "Asylum", also from 1972.
#8-Frankenstein (1931)The granddaddy of them all. Not the first monster movie, but the first that truly made the genre such a hit. Frankenstein's monster was grotesque, the story was horrifying, and it was eaten up by the public--at least those who didn't faint! The attempt by man to play God once again fails. But at least he launched a whole new series of movies! By the end of the movie, you actually feel some pity for the monster. Perhaps the mob outside burning down the windmill was the real monster??? Hard to believe that the same guy who could play the monster would go on to narrate "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas"!
#7-Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954)--I can't remember exactly when I first saw this--grade school, I'm sure. I love this monster! He lives in the Amazon, swims around among some gorgeous scenery, and then falls in love with the girl on this boat. He swims a few feet under her as she's out in the water. He's just shy and horny. This movie was originally filmed in 3D, so there's lots of harpoons and bubbles and swimming towards the camera action going on. As with many of the monster movies from this era, you sort of have feelings for the monster by the end of the movie.
#6-The Omen (the original trilogy)--Creepy little kid is born as the anti-Christ. This is one series that I actually liked all three movies. Following Damien as a little boy, to his teenaged years, to his adulthood. You don't feel sorry for him in the end...
#5-Night of the Living Dead (1968)--This movie shows what you can do on an incredibly small budget. Yeah, the make-up is cheesy, and the dialog pretty cliche, but the story not only scared you, but also touched on race relations, family relations, distrust of government and the like. Great scene of zombies munching on intestines, organs and limbs at the burned out truck!
#4a-Young Frankenstein (1974)#4b-Mars Attacks! (1996)--OK, so they're comedies. But fine examples of movies based on the genre. Young Frankenstein used some of the original's lab equipment, and used references to it and other Frankenstein classics. With a healthy dose of puns and laughter. Someone called in alot of favors for "Mars Attacks!". Patterned on the UFO movies of the 50s, its cast included over a dozen big-name, big-buck actors, including Jack Nicholson (in 2 roles), Glenn Close, Annette Benning and Danny Devito. And Tom Jones. While it could have become quite cartoonish, the movie was played seriously, and even had a couple of grotesque moments!
#3a-Poltergeist (1982)#3b-Poltergeist III (1988)--Another trilogy that worked pretty well. Except for #2. And #3 was a little weak, but the concept of evil characters in the mirror (or any reflective surface) was a bit freaky. No, the scariest part of the movies are the deaths of those associated with the movies, in particular, the death of 12 year old Heather O'Rourke ("They're heeeerrrreeee....!). The real life stories are far scarier than the movies (though that clown in the picture still gives me chills...
#2-The Shining (1980)--"Heeeeeerrree's Johnny!" Stephen King's novel as envisioned by Stanley Kubrick. As mentioned in an earlier post, the music to this movie is amazing. The scenery outstanding (for the little bit that you get to see). While the movie's best scenes involve Jack, there are plenty of others. The tidal wave of blood from the elevator. The two very disturbing twins. Danny holding a large knife screaming "REDRUM! REDRUM!" This movie has just about all the good things that a horror movie should have. Great story, just enough blood, twists and turns. And Jack is phenomemal. 
#1-The Exorcist (1973)--No real surprise here. This movie scares the bejeezus out of me to this day. To the point that I have only seen it all the way through without breaks twice in my life. I usually have to get up at the point where she first hears "rats" in the ceiling. Having been raised a good Catholic, I definitely remember the outcry that followed this movie. Crowds stood outside the theaters to pray for the souls that the devil would take from those who watched the movie. Some scenes were so disturbing that people got physically ill, or fainted. Certain scenes never made it to the screen as they were deemed "too graphic"--one of which is the famous "spider crawl" scene depicted in the b&w picture. 
On the other hand, I spent an evening with Moose and watched "The Exorcist". She just laughed.So there you have it. I would recommend all twelve movies (yeah, I know. That's more than ten. Deal with it.).
Saturday, October 28, 2006
See ya Sunday!
Watching "Night of the Living Dead" (go here for the 30-second version).
Then off to symphony rehearsal/concert all day Saturday. I'll be back on Sunday!
Friday, October 27, 2006
Da Count #7
Today's Count is an easy one to pick. I asked at the top of my HNT this week for you to run over to Robyn's site first. Many of you rushed right over (14 of you by the time I checked in the morning!) to find her post telling us that her mom passed away Wednesday night. True, it was expected, and came at the end of a painful battle with cancer. But it's never an easy thing.
This is a picture of the two of them from earlier this month. Robyn and I have been emailing and chatting with each other for quite awhile. I've gotten to know her and her family over that time. She's been able to tell me things that she's been feeling about her mother that she can't share with her friends, for whatever reason. I have definitely come to realize what a great daughter, a great wife and a great mother she is. And when something like this happens, I tend to feel fairly helpless. It's one thing to say some words and offer support, but something altogether different to be able to actually give a hug, hold a hand or some other means of comfort.
So who gets "DaCount" today? All of YOU. You who bopped over to see what the big deal was, and you who left words of comfort. You who sent her an e-card. You who did whatever you could to ease her pain from afar. You who have no idea who Robyn or her family are. You who shared your own experiences of loss. Non-bloggers have no sense of what community exists here, and until they experience it themselves, they'll never understand. But those of us who do have all found friends and relationships that are as real and as genuine as any "real world" ones. And you came through with flying colors!
If you haven't been over to her site, I urge you to go there now. She's also been raising money for "Making Strides Against Cancer", which is one of the many American Cancer Society fundraisers. If you go here, you can find a link to her personal page (and get to see a half-nekkid picture, too!). Or you can go directly to her personal page here. I'm sure that if you were to make a donation, it would be a nice memorial! I'm sure we all know someone who's been affected by this nasty disease...
So "Da Count" for me today is YOU. Thanks for confirming my suspicions that you're all a pretty good bunch of people! If you want to read more about "Da Count", click on the button below...
This is a picture of the two of them from earlier this month. Robyn and I have been emailing and chatting with each other for quite awhile. I've gotten to know her and her family over that time. She's been able to tell me things that she's been feeling about her mother that she can't share with her friends, for whatever reason. I have definitely come to realize what a great daughter, a great wife and a great mother she is. And when something like this happens, I tend to feel fairly helpless. It's one thing to say some words and offer support, but something altogether different to be able to actually give a hug, hold a hand or some other means of comfort.So who gets "DaCount" today? All of YOU. You who bopped over to see what the big deal was, and you who left words of comfort. You who sent her an e-card. You who did whatever you could to ease her pain from afar. You who have no idea who Robyn or her family are. You who shared your own experiences of loss. Non-bloggers have no sense of what community exists here, and until they experience it themselves, they'll never understand. But those of us who do have all found friends and relationships that are as real and as genuine as any "real world" ones. And you came through with flying colors!
If you haven't been over to her site, I urge you to go there now. She's also been raising money for "Making Strides Against Cancer", which is one of the many American Cancer Society fundraisers. If you go here, you can find a link to her personal page (and get to see a half-nekkid picture, too!). Or you can go directly to her personal page here. I'm sure that if you were to make a donation, it would be a nice memorial! I'm sure we all know someone who's been affected by this nasty disease...
So "Da Count" for me today is YOU. Thanks for confirming my suspicions that you're all a pretty good bunch of people! If you want to read more about "Da Count", click on the button below...
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Dark and Stormy HNT
Before you do anything else, go over to Robyn's blog. She's in need of some really good thoughts and prayers her way. It's been a rough couple of days, and it came to a head last night.
It was a dark and stormy night. Outside, the new moon cast no shadow on the dead leaves, freshly fallen from the cold breezes earlier in the day. Inside, the house was chilly, as windows had been left open for days. She no longer cared. She could no longer feel. His presence was more than she could bear. Bigger than life, he swept into her life. No longer could she consider him her own. He now belonged to the others. Vying for his attention. Vying for his affection. She slowly filled the tub. In went the single string of Christmas lights. How ironic that his two favorite holidays would juxtapose in this way. The picture fell from her grasp, and the shards cut her. She could no longer feel. She grasped the broken frame, and stepped gingerly into the tub. The icy temperature couldn't affect her. She slid in quietly, hugged the picture, and turned on the switch. A quick flash, a little smoke, and it was all over. A tiny stream of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Was it all worth it, or was it just a little game...?
Black hat, black dress, fiery red hair. Perfect for Halloween! This week's Mystery Guest has all that, as well as her incredibly wonderful eyes, and her enthusiasm for HNT. She looks like another one of those Southern girls (do they put something in the water down there?), but her family is actually from the Midwest. Even though she might be a little witchy at times, don't you dare say it to her face! You shouldn't have much problem guessing who she is, but she'll reveal herself Thursday afternoon. In the meantime, feel free to stop by her place ahead of time and say "boo"!
Sorry about the late reveal, but the day sort of got away from me. The mystery guest isn't Crimson (nice guess, guys), but another one of our redheads--Bellarosa. She already revealed herself on her site, but stop by and check her out!
"...the Other HNT" isn't quite as scary, but it's NSFW. Be sure to check it out!
Just witnessed our first official underage HNTer! Don't get excited, ya pervs! She's the daughter of an HNTer, and she's strictly G-rated. Sorry-not for public viewing...
It was a dark and stormy night. Outside, the new moon cast no shadow on the dead leaves, freshly fallen from the cold breezes earlier in the day. Inside, the house was chilly, as windows had been left open for days. She no longer cared. She could no longer feel. His presence was more than she could bear. Bigger than life, he swept into her life. No longer could she consider him her own. He now belonged to the others. Vying for his attention. Vying for his affection. She slowly filled the tub. In went the single string of Christmas lights. How ironic that his two favorite holidays would juxtapose in this way. The picture fell from her grasp, and the shards cut her. She could no longer feel. She grasped the broken frame, and stepped gingerly into the tub. The icy temperature couldn't affect her. She slid in quietly, hugged the picture, and turned on the switch. A quick flash, a little smoke, and it was all over. A tiny stream of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Was it all worth it, or was it just a little game...?
Black hat, black dress, fiery red hair. Perfect for Halloween! This week's Mystery Guest has all that, as well as her incredibly wonderful eyes, and her enthusiasm for HNT. She looks like another one of those Southern girls (do they put something in the water down there?), but her family is actually from the Midwest. Even though she might be a little witchy at times, don't you dare say it to her face! You shouldn't have much problem guessing who she is, but she'll reveal herself Thursday afternoon. In the meantime, feel free to stop by her place ahead of time and say "boo"!Sorry about the late reveal, but the day sort of got away from me. The mystery guest isn't Crimson (nice guess, guys), but another one of our redheads--Bellarosa. She already revealed herself on her site, but stop by and check her out!
"...the Other HNT" isn't quite as scary, but it's NSFW. Be sure to check it out!
Just witnessed our first official underage HNTer! Don't get excited, ya pervs! She's the daughter of an HNTer, and she's strictly G-rated. Sorry-not for public viewing...
Monday, October 23, 2006
Get the News Out!
THE MASSES HAVE VOTED AND A DECISION HAS BEEN REACHED! By over a 2-1 margin, the Oct. 26th option won out. SOOOOoooo...you have 3 days to come up with a Halloween-themed HNT for this week. Not a requirement, of course, but it would be fun for as many as possible to participate! SPREAD THE WORD ON YOUR OWN SITES!!! "Halloween-themed" means whatever it might mean to you, the poster. Have at it!
Musical Monday #6 (be sure to check the poll in the post below this one!)
I'm getting into the mood for Halloween. Which means monster movies!! And scary movies!! Not the crap that's out there now with thousands of gallons of "blood" and axes and guts and gore. I mean the real scary movies that can scare with a good story and not the gore. And little reliance on digital tricks.I'll be doing a list of my favorites, but one that's sure to be on the list is "The Shining". Not the made-for-TV one, but the original with Nicholson. For my Musical Monday selection, I've chosen the intro music to the movie. It is based on the 13th century Gregorian chant "Dies Irae" (Day of Wrath). This chant has been used as a motif in classical music for centuries, and was a major component of the Requiem Mass in the Catholic Church until around 1970. Also often found in movie soundtracks, it invokes a sense of menace and death.
This version was written by Wendy Carlos (back when she was still Walter Carlos--yeah, he whacked off his weenie...). Carlos is most well-known for his/her "Switched-On Bach" recordings, and the soundtracks to "Tron" and "A Clockwork Orange". The juxtapostion of the "Dies Irae" with the beautiful scenery in the opening credits puts viewers on edge from the beginning moments of the movie. Enjoy!
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Odds & Ends
Under a little pressure from a certain blogger to make a decision, I've decided to let the public choose--Do we have a Halloween theme for HNT this year? And if so, which Thursday? I'll leave this up until noon on Monday. If we go with one, you'll need to publicize it on your own sites!
THE MASSES HAVE VOTED AND A DECISION HAS BEEN REACHED! By over a 2-1 margin, the Oct. 26th option won out. SOOOOoooo...you have 3 days to come up with a Halloween-themed HNT for this week. Not a requirement, of course, but it would be fun for as many as possible to participate! SPREAD THE WORD ON YOUR OWN SITES!!! "Halloween-themed" means whatever it might mean to you, the poster. Have at it!
Finally got a picture of the two bloggers who housesat for Leesa a couple of weeks ago. This is Redhead Editor, me, and Pam. Pardon the squinty eyes and blinding hair--it was bright out.
You'll notice my list of bloggers that I've actually had the pleasure to meet in person. In somewhat of a chronologic order. These two were #18 & #19. Any bets on who's #20? EDIT: I KNEW this would happen! I spaced out a previous blogger, so I've already hit #20!
If I have time, I want to do some sort of monster/scary movie list. My all-time favorites. The ones that somehow have left their mark on me. Hope I can get it done it time...
Haven't made much mention of the 4-time NAIA National Football Champions this season. That would be Carroll College here in Helena, for those of you late in joining. They are currenly riding a 29-game winning streak since the middle of the 2004 season. They had a similar streak going prior to two losses in a row in the middle of that year (suicide of a teammate had alot to do with that...). They've been ranked #1 in the nation for almost 2 years. They are favored to win an unprecedented 5th national championship in a row this season. Look for much more on this as the playoffs approach. The championship game will once again be played in Savannah, TN. It was the reason I went to Nashville and afforded me the opportunity to meet a great bunch of TN bloggers. I'd like to say I'll be down there again, but that might be pushing it...
Christmas must be right around the corner. I just bought my first half-gallon of egg nog at the store tonight.
THE MASSES HAVE VOTED AND A DECISION HAS BEEN REACHED! By over a 2-1 margin, the Oct. 26th option won out. SOOOOoooo...you have 3 days to come up with a Halloween-themed HNT for this week. Not a requirement, of course, but it would be fun for as many as possible to participate! SPREAD THE WORD ON YOUR OWN SITES!!! "Halloween-themed" means whatever it might mean to you, the poster. Have at it!
Finally got a picture of the two bloggers who housesat for Leesa a couple of weeks ago. This is Redhead Editor, me, and Pam. Pardon the squinty eyes and blinding hair--it was bright out.You'll notice my list of bloggers that I've actually had the pleasure to meet in person. In somewhat of a chronologic order. These two were #18 & #19. Any bets on who's #20? EDIT: I KNEW this would happen! I spaced out a previous blogger, so I've already hit #20!
If I have time, I want to do some sort of monster/scary movie list. My all-time favorites. The ones that somehow have left their mark on me. Hope I can get it done it time...
Haven't made much mention of the 4-time NAIA National Football Champions this season. That would be Carroll College here in Helena, for those of you late in joining. They are currenly riding a 29-game winning streak since the middle of the 2004 season. They had a similar streak going prior to two losses in a row in the middle of that year (suicide of a teammate had alot to do with that...). They've been ranked #1 in the nation for almost 2 years. They are favored to win an unprecedented 5th national championship in a row this season. Look for much more on this as the playoffs approach. The championship game will once again be played in Savannah, TN. It was the reason I went to Nashville and afforded me the opportunity to meet a great bunch of TN bloggers. I'd like to say I'll be down there again, but that might be pushing it...
Christmas must be right around the corner. I just bought my first half-gallon of egg nog at the store tonight.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Happy Birthday, Eskimo!
Well, I'm getting this posted before midnight, so I'm still OK. Thursday was the 25th birthday of Jessica, our favorite Redneck Eskimo. I remember the first time I'd ever heard of her--she had emailed me with a question regarding the HNT buttons or some other template-related matter. I was more than slightly confused about the whole Redneck Eskimo moniker. This is the first image I ever had of her--
I eventually found out that she was born in Alaska. She's also lived in California. She did most of her growing up in Oklahoma.
If you talk to her on the phone, or chat with her, there's no question that she's a redneck! Yes, this is Jessica drinking real moonshine in Louisiana, and how it affected her. BTW--she was there for a funeral. Seriously...
One thing that I think people don't realize about her is that her culinary skills are outstanding. Of course, the only thing I can base that on would be the cupcakes she sent to me for my birthday (if you remember--those cupcakes). But she'll whip up a dinner like MacGyver with just a jar of Nutella, Wheat Thins and some yogurt! There is no doubt that she's always been the queen of her kitchen!
She's been the Mystery Guest, contributed to the anonymous site, and had her turn with the OsShirt. She sent me a wonderful birthday present, which I'd better not show here. Suffice it to say that Jessica has embraced HNT like few others!
She recently made the move to Wichita and is learning the joys of living completely on her own once again. Even though she's all redneck, the girl has a good head on her shoulders. But she gets awfully girly at times, too. And she's got a weird llama fetish--I still don't understand that one. She drinks beer, she belches, she can swear like a sailor. There's a great deal more that I could say, but I don't want to embarrass her too much more.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESSICA!! Hope the day was a good one to you! And before you chew me out for using some of these pictures, I think I've got one last one that beats you to it! Go over and wish her a belated birthday! Love ya, babe!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESSICA!! Hope the day was a good one to you! And before you chew me out for using some of these pictures, I think I've got one last one that beats you to it! Go over and wish her a belated birthday! Love ya, babe!
Taco Tuesday HNT
We have a symphony concert on the 28th, which means I'm in the midst of "Symphony Week". Which means all sorts of rehearsals, meetings, and assorted BS. We're doing a bizarre mix of music, since it's so close to Halloween. The last piece is a relatively unknown piece that is probably the hardest thing I've tried to play with this orchestra. It's exciting, and people will certainly be blown away, but it's totally different than anything they will have ever heard.
We started rehearsals last night. I didn't have a chance to eat all day, so on my way home at around 10:30, I passed what has been my favorite taco place since my high school days (yeah--it's been around that long!). Taco John's! And of course, it was Taco Tuesday! That meant that I wasn't going to bed hungry! So while I was scarfing down my second Taco Bravo, I figured I could share it with you. Don't ask about the sombrero... Duff, this one's for you!
This fine set of Mystery Guest breasts comes from a southern gal who would like to let us know that, while we had snow on the ground yesterday, things are vastly different in her neck of the woods! She's not totally sure that she's going to reveal herself, so be sure to leave some compliments! It hasn't been a great autumn for her, so she could use the kind thoughts!
This week's Mystery Guest is the sexy girl from South Florida known as Fame! Stop by and tell her how much you liked her melons and pineapples!
The boys must have sent out a memo regarding "...the Other HNT" this week. Lots of boys parts, and most definitely NSFW! And some very nice girly shots, too!
We've got a couple of new HNT buttons, made and donated by Faltenin! I'll have them up over at the guidelines site so that you can grab the codes over there. Just hit my HNT button in the sidebar to get there. EDIT: Apparently no one could see these earlier. Let me know if there's still a problem!
We started rehearsals last night. I didn't have a chance to eat all day, so on my way home at around 10:30, I passed what has been my favorite taco place since my high school days (yeah--it's been around that long!). Taco John's! And of course, it was Taco Tuesday! That meant that I wasn't going to bed hungry! So while I was scarfing down my second Taco Bravo, I figured I could share it with you. Don't ask about the sombrero... Duff, this one's for you!
This fine set of Mystery Guest breasts comes from a southern gal who would like to let us know that, while we had snow on the ground yesterday, things are vastly different in her neck of the woods! She's not totally sure that she's going to reveal herself, so be sure to leave some compliments! It hasn't been a great autumn for her, so she could use the kind thoughts!This week's Mystery Guest is the sexy girl from South Florida known as Fame! Stop by and tell her how much you liked her melons and pineapples!
The boys must have sent out a memo regarding "...the Other HNT" this week. Lots of boys parts, and most definitely NSFW! And some very nice girly shots, too!
We've got a couple of new HNT buttons, made and donated by Faltenin! I'll have them up over at the guidelines site so that you can grab the codes over there. Just hit my HNT button in the sidebar to get there. EDIT: Apparently no one could see these earlier. Let me know if there's still a problem!
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
How Do You Tell Someone...
- ...that there are ignorant, juvenile people out there that only exist to belittle others in order to further their own incestual masturbation?
...that you're proud of what they've done, in spite of apparent failure?
...that you're proud of how they've handled themselves in a nasty situation?
...that they've made a mistake (or two...), but they aren't the bad person that they think they are?
...that even though they are soon to be alone, that things aren't as bad as they seem?
...that if you could take away their pains or sicknesses, you would?
...that you're disappointed in the group of people they've aligned themselves with?
...that they are one of the finest people you "know"?
...that their insecurities are the same ones that you have?
...that their incessant self-image issues need to end--not for the blog reader's sake, but for their own?
...that their daily posts are the bright spot in your day?
This is not the post I intended to write, but these all just rolled off my fingers. They were originally written with specific individuals in mind, but I re-read them, and realized that they could apply to more than just one. If any of these strike a chord with you, then it probably applies. But don't try to over-analyze, K?
Monday, October 16, 2006
Musical Monday #5
We had a gig on Saturday night. A fancy, formal, expensive dinner/auction/dance for the local hospital foundation. Alot of doctors and high society types (well, as high society as you can find in Montana), all eager to spend thousands of dollars on auction items. We've had the pleasure to play this gig about 6 times in the past 9 years. On the years that we haven't, it's because there's a new chairman who thinks they need a new band, and inevitably, we get contacted within a week afterwards asking if we're available for next year. All in all, it was a good time. We even brought out a new thing we've been working on--a Motown medley that lasts about 20 minutes. "My Guy", "My Girl", "In the Midnight Hour", "Tracks of My Tears", etc., etc. It went over pretty well. We kept a good crowd right up to our last song. Those are the fun types of gigs.
The worst part, and we're seeing a trend at events like this (and at wedding receptions, too), was the open bar. Not the open bar itself, but the actions of those who don't know how to pace themselves. Here we are at a +$150/plate dinner, in formal attire, and some girl is getting sick in the rest room. To the point that a couple of her friends, in their formals, crawl under the stall door to see if she's drowned in the toilet. She was not the only one who puked during the night. Someone just let loose IN FRONT OF THE OPEN BAR! All told, we heard that there were about 4 incidents during the night.
Lord knows I'm not a prude, nor have I been in total control of my senses at certain times when I've been drinking. Granted, some drunken behavior I can tolerate. In the right atmosphere. Showing bare boobies while dancing in front of the band while out at the lake is one thing. Puking in front of the bar at a formal event is quite another. What are the benefits to that? Embarrassment in front of others in the days ahead? Ruining a dress that probably cost a small fortune? Being the butt of stories told by others on their blogs for the world to read?
As I said earlier, we're seeing alot of this over the past few months. Even Trixie has blogged about it from a bartender's point of view. For my Musical Monday selection, I've chosen one of my favorite songs from our Motown medley--Aretha Franklin's "R-E-S-P-E-C-T". People need to show alot more of that, both to themselves and to others!
The worst part, and we're seeing a trend at events like this (and at wedding receptions, too), was the open bar. Not the open bar itself, but the actions of those who don't know how to pace themselves. Here we are at a +$150/plate dinner, in formal attire, and some girl is getting sick in the rest room. To the point that a couple of her friends, in their formals, crawl under the stall door to see if she's drowned in the toilet. She was not the only one who puked during the night. Someone just let loose IN FRONT OF THE OPEN BAR! All told, we heard that there were about 4 incidents during the night.
Lord knows I'm not a prude, nor have I been in total control of my senses at certain times when I've been drinking. Granted, some drunken behavior I can tolerate. In the right atmosphere. Showing bare boobies while dancing in front of the band while out at the lake is one thing. Puking in front of the bar at a formal event is quite another. What are the benefits to that? Embarrassment in front of others in the days ahead? Ruining a dress that probably cost a small fortune? Being the butt of stories told by others on their blogs for the world to read?
As I said earlier, we're seeing alot of this over the past few months. Even Trixie has blogged about it from a bartender's point of view. For my Musical Monday selection, I've chosen one of my favorite songs from our Motown medley--Aretha Franklin's "R-E-S-P-E-C-T". People need to show alot more of that, both to themselves and to others!
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Temporary new look
Hope you like it. I'm partial to Halloween. And fall is in the air. And I'm just tickled that my potential hard drive problems didn't turn out too bad. So you get a new look for awhile. Might play with it more--we'll see.
We have a gig tonight. A fundraiser for the hospital foundation here. Lotsa money, auction items, young 20- and 30-somethings dressed in their finest (actually, this is the best gig of the year for checking out the eye candy!). We've been playing pretty well as of late, so this should be a good night. Highly doubtful we'll get to see boobies flashed tonight, but I'll let you know!
Speaking of boobies, this site was brought to my attention today. Another fun way to show support and give money towards finding a cure for breast cancer. I think their donation percentage could be a bit better, but every little bit helps!
I end the week with a valuable lesson learned. On whatever calendar you use to mark the date to change the battery in your smoke alarms, to renew your driver's license, to renew your car's registration, or to renew your auto insurance, you should schedule regular weekly or bi-weekly backups of your computer's hard drive. Go schedule it. Now!
We have a gig tonight. A fundraiser for the hospital foundation here. Lotsa money, auction items, young 20- and 30-somethings dressed in their finest (actually, this is the best gig of the year for checking out the eye candy!). We've been playing pretty well as of late, so this should be a good night. Highly doubtful we'll get to see boobies flashed tonight, but I'll let you know!
Speaking of boobies, this site was brought to my attention today. Another fun way to show support and give money towards finding a cure for breast cancer. I think their donation percentage could be a bit better, but every little bit helps!
I end the week with a valuable lesson learned. On whatever calendar you use to mark the date to change the battery in your smoke alarms, to renew your driver's license, to renew your car's registration, or to renew your auto insurance, you should schedule regular weekly or bi-weekly backups of your computer's hard drive. Go schedule it. Now!
Friday, October 13, 2006
Da Count #6
Well, for most of this week, I've been under a great deal of stress. Symphony issues have been kicking my ass (too few harpists anywhere nearby...), and when my hard drive failed, it was about all that I could handle. In fact, when a close friend called on Sunday night, I told her that I couldn't talk. Not because I was busy, but because I was afraid that I would fall apart in mid-conversation. And I just don't do that. All I wanted to do was puke, scream, cry, and curl up in a ball in the corner. Things were that bad.
If "Da Count" is supposed to be about the GOOD things that count in our life, then I found mine on Thursday morning. Thanks to this particular software, "DiskWarrior" by Alsoft, I was able to rebuild my hard drive to the point that I could recover a major part of my life. I now have a little over 20GB of music, pictures, documents, symphony databases, HNTs, pictures of my Carribean trip, and the Nashville trip, Mystery Guests, the Collection, and other irreplaceable files sitting on my computer (iMac G5) at work. When I purchase a new hard drive (ugh!) to replace the temporary (20GB) one I'm using now, I'll format it with Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger), and should be able to recover over 3 years of emails too! I think I'll be able to recover just about everything I want. One thing I'm sure I WON'T get will be the bookmarks to the "secret" sites that some of you have started, so if you could send those to me again....
A "humorous" thing happened as I was transferring files. While moving a folder of pictures over to the G5, it crashed 3 time in a row. Obviously a bad file somewhere. I isolated it without too much trouble. It was one of MG's "Fuck You Friday" pictures. There were other bad files, but this is the one that froze everything. Thanks, babe!
As the week winds down, I'm less stressed. Yeah, the symphony stuff is still there, but I'll be able to handle it. So "Da Count" in my life this week is DiskWarrior. You counted when I needed you! A second, and just as important Count would be all of you who have put up with my meltdown all week. Your offers of replenishing the Collection, and rebuilding the MG and anon folders, and just being there to hear me whimper has meant alot. You guys count in my book too!
If you want to read more about "Da Count", click on the button below...
If "Da Count" is supposed to be about the GOOD things that count in our life, then I found mine on Thursday morning. Thanks to this particular software, "DiskWarrior" by Alsoft, I was able to rebuild my hard drive to the point that I could recover a major part of my life. I now have a little over 20GB of music, pictures, documents, symphony databases, HNTs, pictures of my Carribean trip, and the Nashville trip, Mystery Guests, the Collection, and other irreplaceable files sitting on my computer (iMac G5) at work. When I purchase a new hard drive (ugh!) to replace the temporary (20GB) one I'm using now, I'll format it with Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger), and should be able to recover over 3 years of emails too! I think I'll be able to recover just about everything I want. One thing I'm sure I WON'T get will be the bookmarks to the "secret" sites that some of you have started, so if you could send those to me again....A "humorous" thing happened as I was transferring files. While moving a folder of pictures over to the G5, it crashed 3 time in a row. Obviously a bad file somewhere. I isolated it without too much trouble. It was one of MG's "Fuck You Friday" pictures. There were other bad files, but this is the one that froze everything. Thanks, babe!
As the week winds down, I'm less stressed. Yeah, the symphony stuff is still there, but I'll be able to handle it. So "Da Count" in my life this week is DiskWarrior. You counted when I needed you! A second, and just as important Count would be all of you who have put up with my meltdown all week. Your offers of replenishing the Collection, and rebuilding the MG and anon folders, and just being there to hear me whimper has meant alot. You guys count in my book too!
If you want to read more about "Da Count", click on the button below...
Cracked HNT
BIRTHDAY ALERT!!--I screwed up. Just.a.girl has a birthday today! I thought it was tomorrow (Thursday)... I suck. But my mind has been elsewhere. Stop by and wish her the best (even though she hasn't posted since February!). Sorry about that, babe!
Well, this has been a terribly long week. Stress from the symphony, combined with the computer problems, has given me all sorts of weird dreams, lack of sleep, and alot of tossing and turning. Things are minimally better, but better. The big question for any of you--what's the easiest/cheapest way to get data off of a drive that won't let me into it??
With all that's been going on this week--the surgery performed on two different laptops, the constant dealing with answering machines and the lack of response, and the stress of dealing with getting the Mystery Guest and anonymous sites up and running, I didn't get a decent HNT taken.
On the other hand, I spent a great deal of time staring at the hole/crack in my monitor, and realized that, after you get past the initial disgust of events and results, you can get some really neat effects with it, depending what's behind it! So I offer you close-ups of my cracked screen. Don't cringe too much. If you squint your eyes really tight, you might even see my nekkidness reflected in the glass! As Leesa would say--click it to big it!
This week's Mystery Guest is certainly a sight for sore eyes. She's a fun-loving, sexy, country-music lovin' gal! Don't let the blonde hair fool you. She's smart as a whip. Has the degree to prove it! She's not afraid to let her opinion be known. And I just KNOW she looks damned good all dirty and sweaty on a tractor! This southern beauty is about as perfect as you could possibly want! She'll be revealing herself tomorrow afternoon, but stop by to say hi if you know who it is!
Today's Mystery Guest is the very beautiful (take my word on that one), very sexy, and very impatient Betcha (as in Betchacantguesswho). Go say hi!
"...the Other HNT" is NSFW,
A new adventure in Michigan for the OsShirt, in case you haven't been over there...
I'm going to put on my pimp hat and let you know a few things:- Cuddleslut is back up with a new site! And looking better than ever!
- 25 Peeps has had a number of HNTers on its front page. In fact, a quick glance today shows at least 3 up there right now! Go find your favorite Peep and click!
- We all remember the very photogenic Femi-Mommy. Due to circumstances beyond her control, she had to sneak underground in bloggerworld. She did come out briefly to pimp a fundraiser for her daughter's school, though, and now so am I! Go to this site to order up all sorts of seasonal (Christmas) items and gifts. Wrapping paper, custom cards, gifts--lots of stuff! Be sure to use the school code 67907 to be sure that her school reaps the benefits!
A big nasty RANT--WTF is up with Blogrolling this week??