Views From the Back Row: May 2007

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Lava HNT

I was a child of the late 60s/70s. As such, I was witness to all the really cool things you see on "That 70s Show". Bead curtains. Black lights/posters. Bell bottoms and platform shoes. Bay City Rollers. Sorry about the alliteration...

One of the coolest "must-haves" was the LavaLamp. That wonderfully bubbly concoction of colored liquid and that gloopy stuff. And only a regular bottle cap closing off the top. Funny how the lamp didn't work after you took that thing off... The LavaWorld company made a fortune off of that stuff, and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. As we all get older, we adapt to the times. LavaWorld has done the same as it's grown, expanding their selection well beyond the gloopy stuff.

Among the fun they offer the computer savvy people of the 21st century is this way cool, USB-run glitter lamp! And how did I get it, you ask? It was one of numerous birthday gifts given to me last month from the beautiful and sexy Tara Tainton and her equally beautiful and sexy partner/lover/friend. I've had it at work and spent numerous hours staring at it. What a wonderful way to take me back to the days of my youth! And not get a damned thing done...

Click 'em to big 'em!

This MG had to go private a few months back but looks forward the day of opening her blog back up. In the meantime - she's creating a new, public blog that she'll co-contribute to with her best friend and partner in crime. Look for more info on that to come. We'll reveal her tomorrow, but if you recognize anything here, drop her a line!
Our MG this week is none other than that Skittish Kitty herself...PHAIN! As mentioned earlier - Phain and her co-hort Fame are starting a brand new joint blog that goes live on Friday, June 1st. Save this link and be sure to visit them often: JUST BETWEEN FRIENDS.

"...the Other HNT" has a number of new "faces" this week. And is definitely NSFW again. Be sure to check out your fellow HNTers!

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

What's Wrong With This Story?

Click here to get to the Contest. Still needing suggestions for a prize! And because I've heard from you about how difficult it is, I'll strike out the extra 6 people that aren't really in the mosaic. You'll thank me later... BTW, I've gotten my first contestant's answers in. She was perfect with the answers she turned in. But she only marked 3 people. However, she's the leader in the clubhouse!

I'll mark the questionable parts in this next story in light green.

I've mentioned my oldest niece on this site before. She of the soccer skills. She of the academic skills. She of the good looks. She who is the apple of her uncle's eye. She just returned home after about 10 days in the jungles of Belize with her college classmates. Before they left, the girls decided they needed to bring back some sort of present for their boyfriends. Apparently, it's cool to run around Belize with a 15" machete hanging off your belt, so they found a shop that carried them, and each of them bought one. They stuffed them into their carry-on luggage and headed to the airport. THEY WERE ALLOWED ON THE PLANE WITH 15" MACHETES IN THEIR CARRY-ONS! When they arrived in Atlanta, they had to go through U.S. Customs. The kid who had packed too much beer had to give everyone a single bottle in order to pass through legally, BUT THE 15" MACHETES MADE IT PAST U.S. CUSTOMS!!!

They spent the night in Atlanta, repacked their 15" MACHETES into their checked luggage, and flew home. Would any of you even consider doing that? In your carry-on??? The same carry-on that has the 3 oz. liquid restrictions? Sometimes valedictorians can be SO dumb! As well as those taking care of air traffic security! I wonder if I can get the little file thingy that they ripped off of my fingernail clippers back???

Monday, May 28, 2007

This 'n That

Click here to get to the Contest. Still needing suggestions for a prize!

I'm giving you the chance to view this again. I have a feeling most of missed it the first time around...

Saturday was the birthday of the Duke, the Queen and Trout!

There was a REAL OsShirt sighting on the HNT 2nd Anniversary that I failed to mention. Click here to see how it spent its time in the suburbs of Boston!

Been spending alot of the weekend watching TV. The John Wayne marathon was great! "Man vs. Wild" is always fun--where they dump a guy out of a plane and he's got a certain number of days to find civilization. Across glacier fields, in the Rockies, through the African jungles... Did you know that if you're desperate for water in the wilds of Africa, you can squeeze the moisture out of fresh elephant dung? I didn't know that either, but this guy does, and is more than willing to show you! It's also apparently OK to slurp long earthworms, rather than twirling them on your fork (because you probably won't have a fork with you...). Also watched an Eddie Murphy concert from the mid-80s. When he was still funny and used the f-word at least once every 5 seconds. And "50 Most Unforgettable Plays" on the Best Damned Sports Show. The top three? #3--Kirk Gibson's home run; #2--Bill Buckner's error; #1--the Cal/Stanford football game (with the band). Remember how the poor trombonist got run over at the end of the play? We get no respect... Personally, I think that Gibson's HR should be #1.

Hope you spend some time today reflecting on the reason why we have the holiday. Personally, I've been spared from knowing anyone who has been killed while in the service. Still doesn't mean that we shouldn't take a moment to remember. Doesn't mean we shouldn't get together for a BBQ with family either!

Friday, May 25, 2007

The Contest!

At long last, the Contest is here! When Brico ran a contest a long time back, the winner was to receive his iPod (he was getting a new one), complete with all the music still loaded on it. Guess what? I'm not offering an iPod. But I'm at a bit of a loss coming up with a good enough prize that you'd actually spend the time trying to figure who's who. It's not going to be easy! When you submit your answers, feel free to suggest a prize (the "Collection" is off-limits...). When one is decided, I'll be sure to post it for all.

The idea is simple. Below you'll find a mosaic of 24 of your fellow bloggers. These are the brave souls who aren't afraid to show off their 80s hair, their big glasses, or wonderful fashion sense! These are their senior pics or graduation pics. All you have to do is identify them, and email me with your guesses (osbasso@gmail.com).

A couple of things to help you along... I highly recommend that you click it to big it so that you get a good look at each person. In addition, each picture is numbered, and there's links below the picture so that you can look at each individual in a larger format. Lastly, there's a list of 30 individuals listed alphabetically at the bottom. All 24 participants are listed, as well as 6 additional ones to possibly throw you off a little. They aren't linked, so you might have to investigate if you need to.

This isn't something that you'll be able to zip through in 15 minutes. It'll take some time. I'll leave the contest open until I get a good number of submissions, but at least a couple of weeks. Feel free to enter as many times as you like! In the case of a tie, I'll come up with a tie-breaker for you. If I've missed something, or you have a question, feel free to let me know!

Good luck to ya!

1. 01.jpg, 2. 02.jpg, 3. 03.jpg, 4. 04.jpg, 5. 05.jpg, 6. 06.jpg, 7. 07.JPG, 8. 08.jpg, 9. 09.jpg, 10. 10.jpg, 11. 11.jpg, 12. 12.jpg, 13. 13.jpg, 14. 14.jpg, 15. 15.jpg, 16. 16.jpg, 17. 17.jpg, 18. 18.jpg, 19. 19.jpg, 20. 20.jpg, 21. 21.jpg, 22. 22.jpg, 23. 23.jpg, 24. 24.jpg

~Him of Blissfully Wed

Addict of News. Gossip & Lies…

Bekah

Beth

Biscuit

BTExpress

Chelle

Crimson of Crimson Visions

Exposed

Hella

Jon

Jules

Leela

Moose

No One In Particular

Osbasso

Phain

Polt

Rachel of Me And You And Everyone We Know

Regal

Rob

Shumpy of Ask Shumpy

Simply Me

Skindee

Snow White

Summer

Tara

Tish of The Kat House

Vic

Vixen

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Concert Time HNT

Again, inspiration for HNT this week comes at the last minute. As mentioned earlier, I purchased a handful of tickets to see Chicago in August. Guess what came in the mail today?!?

As a horn player in a primarily horn band, Chicago is one of those bands that I can listen to ad nauseum and never get tired of listening to. They celebrate their 40th anniversary this summer. And of the original seven members, four still remain with the band, including the three members of the horn section. And that's where "the sound" comes from.

I've seen them in concert three times already that I can think of: Spokane, WA in 1971; Bozeman, MT in 1974; Big Mountain Ski Resort (near Whitefish, MT) in 2001 or so. While their sound has remained consistent (except for those dreadful years in the 80s), they have rearranged some of their songs. Some remain true to the original versions from 30 years ago. There's some comfort in that, I think.

I tried to find audio clips, though there wasn't much. "Color My World" brings back a flood of memories--it seems appropriate. But I'm still partial to songs like "25 or 6 to 4", "Beginnings" and "State of the Union". Pretty much anything from the 70s, actually. Thank God they didn't jump on the disco bandwagon!

So here I am with my 10 tickets, ROW 2, for the concert. I just hope there's not another "must see" concert this summer! As a favor to The Celibate Nympho, you can click on it to get a different picture.

I LOVE this week's Mystery Guest! Not many of us willing to go half-nekkid outdoors! And the camo tank top, in case she had to hide--a nice touch!

This MG is a proud mom to two kids. She's a knitter, and a bike rider, and a party animal, in every sense of the word. She does love her girls (take that any way you want...)! She's going to reveal herself tomorrow afternoon, but feel free to stop by her place to say hi!

Not that this is much of a surprise, but the MG is the quirky and beautiful Biscuit! Stop by and say hi!

"...the Other HNT" has some new people joining in this week. It's definitely NSFW this week!! Be sure to stop by and leave some comments!

The Graduation Picture Contest will be ready shortly. Hopefully by the morning. All I need to do now is come up with a kick-ass prize...

If you don't come by again, have a great Memorial Day weekend (US peeps). Don't drink and drive! But have fun!!!

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

The Food Meme

I was tagged with the food meme by Lee Ann.

The rules:

1. Add a direct link to your post below the name of the person who tagged you. Include the city/state and country you’re in.

2. List out your top 5 favorite places to eat at your location.

OK--I don't eat at fancy places much, and the options are somewhat limited anyway. But these are the favorite places that I go to. Linked, where possible.

Brewhouse Pub & Grill

Howard's Pizza

York Bar

A & W

Yacht Basin Restaurant and Bar

3. Tag 5 other people (preferably from other countries/states) and let them know they’ve been tagged.

I usually don't tag people, but what the heck--Moose, Phain, Sassy, Tish (for tagging me with a different one!) and Charlie.

Happy Dining!

Sometimes simplicity is best

Not for me, of course...

This is pretty cool...

Monday, May 21, 2007

Stuff from the weekend...

The last concert of the symphony season was Saturday night. Verdi's "Requiem". Probably our best performed concert of the year. And fitting under the circumstances (the musicians killed in the plane crash). That's why I've been away for the past couple of days--the dreaded "symphony week". Now I've got a couple of weeks off before worrying about mid-July!

In a humorous turn (sort of) I took a header off of some stairs after tearing down the stage set-up. Short story--dark; I missed the last step; saved Michelle!; landed directly on both knees; no blood/scratches; could barely walk on Sunday; still hurt today from that whole whiplash effect. I'm finally feeling my age!

Hadn't planned on going to any concerts this summer, thanks to the gas prices, but Chicago will be playing in Bozeman in August. Scored 10 tickets (all in Row 2) at about $81.15 each. Five are spoken for. Anyone want the others?

I had hoped to work on the Graduation Picture contest yesterday, but it didn't happen yet. SO...there's still time to send in your picture if you want to supply one. The contest will open up on Thursday! Send them to hntanon@gmail.com And while you're sending pics that way....

Mom and Dad returned from their Alaskan cruise late last night. This morning I'm greeted with an email that says "details provided upon request".

I've put in the request for details, though I think Mom might have finally cracked after 50+ years of marriage!
Well, I saw Dad this afternoon. He's a klutz. He tripped while in the buffet line on Wednesday, when this picture was taken. He landed on his left knee (swollen and bloody), hurt his bad right arm, bruised his left arm, and his current facial bruise now goes from above his eyebrow, down to the corner of his mouth. Not as strikingly colorful, but still a mighty bruise. Just can't seem to take him anywhere anymore!

Friday, May 18, 2007

It Was 27 Years Ago Today...

These images were captured by a camper about 10 miles
to the northeast of the mountain.
Check this post for a nice love story....
And last call is tomorrow for those senior/graduation pictures!!!

Thursday, May 17, 2007

HNT 2nd Anniversary!

"A blog I ran across awhile back (and I don't remember the name)
had a wonderful feature called "Half-Naked Thursdays",
where the author would post pictures of her bare shoulders,
her kids' behinds, her husband's belly, lots of arms, etc.
Nothing remotely graphic, but maybe a little suggestive.
I think all of you should do that too."
And so it began... That was posted on Saturday, May 14, 2005. On the following Thursday, the 19th, HNT was launched into existence. It's now two years later. I would estimate that close to 800 people have joined in during that time. Some have been regulars. Others have only done it once. Many have quit blogging altogether. Some are just getting started. A year ago, I never anticipated celebrating a 1st anniversary. The fact that we've come to the 2nd anniversary is just beyond belief.

So why is it that HNT has lasted so long? Two years in the fast-paced environment of the internet is an eternity! I've given it some thought, and I came up with three elements that I don't think we really consider: marketing, communication and community.

MARKETING--Madison Ave. has long known that sex sells. Everything. In our case, that initial "I'm up!" is the signal that you've taken the step to put a picture up that represents yourself in some state of half-nekkidness. And people stop by to check it out. Of course, marketing only takes you so far... If the product isn't any good, or if it's not what people want, people won't come back. For those who say that blogs are personal, and they don't write for an audience, I contend that there's at least a minimal desire for people to come check us out and like us. And while HNT might have gotten us there, it's up to the individual to keep us coming back.

COMMUNICATION--I think that we have all increased our communicative skills on some level. We've even come up with our own acronym--HHNT (which, by the way, I don't believe I have ever used...)! Most of us have emailed or called people that we never knew existed. Many of us have gone as far as mailing gifts or packages or CDs or flowers to strangers that we may never meet in person. Some of us have hit the jackpot in being able to actually meet these strangers and interact with them on a whole new level beyond the internet. We are the lucky ones!

COMMUNITY--Perhaps the most important aspect of HNT. We ARE a community. And like all communities, there's little cliques scattered around. Most of us find that we have alot in common with others out here, and friendships are born. REAL friendships. And that is a wonderful thing. As a community, we cried when we heard of the death of one of our own. As a community, we rally around those who experience tragedy in their off-line lives. As a community, we watch babies getting born, friends getting married, love blooming, love dying. We share the loves of family. We learn secrets that their families will never know.

HNT has gone through alot of changes in two years. I don't think it will again hit the numbers that it had a year ago. And that's OK. HNT has always been user-driven, and I don't see that changing. Will it last another year? I hope it does. I said the same thing last year. If you want to see the 1st anniversary post, go here. Funny--I just checked it out and find that most of what I've just said, I said a year ago, too!

I voted against getting a cake, but I was hoping for a cherry cream pie. Had to settle for banana cream, which is equally as good. And the tongue was a suggestion from a chat this afternoon. Anyway--this isn't an anniversary for me, as much as it's an anniversary for US. Let us continue to share our half-nekkidness, in whatever form we desire, for a long time to come! HHNT!!

This week's Mystery Guest comes to us from another country. Not from the Land Down Under, but the Great White North. She's been participating in HNT since late 2005, and is well known for her dumb stories. This cowgirl promises to reveal herself Thursday afternoon, but if you know her, feel free to stop by and say hi!
This week's MG is none other than CowGirl from My Dumb Stories! Go on over and say "howdy!"

"...the Other HNT" is a bit light this week, but the testosterone is flowing. NSFW, of course!

Only a couple of days left to send in a graduation/senior picture (see post below). There was a little confusion--everyone can play! I just need pictures to use for the contest!

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Graduation Picture Contest--NEWER POSTS BELOW

The famous "Sunscreen" speech that was popular from the 90s seems to be appropriate for the musical part of this post. We're talkin' about Graduation! Or, "Grad-jee-a-shun" for those in the appropriate parts of the country (can't WAIT for all the "congradulation" misspellings that always occur at this time of year!).

OK--the contest and "rules":

Send me your high school senior picture. The one that was in your yearbook. If you don't have one, then a picture in your cap/gown or whatever you dressed in. Around the 20th of May, I'll post all the pictures in a collage, and you, the readers, will email me your guesses as to whom everyone is. The one with the most correct answers will win some sort of monumental prize from me.
Send your pictures to: hntanon@gmail.com
Please include your year of graduation. It might somehow be used as part of a tie-breaker.
I'm not interested in pictures from your high school days. I want the official graduation picture.
Most important--if we've never seen your face, I'm afraid that you can't play! Not that we don't like you. It's just that if we don't know what we're looking for, your senior picture isn't going to help us any!
I will provide a list of those participating (with maybe an extra name or two, just to make it interesting...)
At this point, all I need are pictures. Go dig yours out and get it scanned!

More details will be posted when the pictures actually go up, including what the fantastically great prize will be! Time to have fun again!!!

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Bits and Pieces

You've only got a couple of days left to send in your senior picture for the Graduation Picture contest! Go here to catch all the details.

As alluded to in the past post, this is symphony week, so I'll be in and out, but don't plan to hear much from me from Thursday through Saturday. Two of the best Montana friends of those killed in the accident will be playing with us on Saturday. I think that's going to be difficult, especially for them. We will be performing Verdi's "Requiem" (that's the Mass for the dead), which is coincidentally appropriate.

I have what I think is disturbing news regarding the original OsShirt. I should have realized it earlier, but it hit me over the weekend. I showed you the plates/napkins from the Dallas trip,

but then I received this in my email on Saturday...

Apparently the original OsShirt was stolen in NYC, and pieces of it are being sold all over the place (Lord knows there's enough to go around...).

As mentioned in my Mother's Day post, I ate my cold Chinese take-out on Sunday afternoon. What I hadn't bargained for was the bony chips that I felt floating in a bite of fried rice. Short story--my left lower molar is disintegrating. No pain, no blood. Just a couple of pieces that fell off like an iceberg breaking into the ocean. Still no pain, but I'm not going to count on that forever. So now I have to find me a cheap dentist. Damn.

I was tagged with memes from Tish and Lee Ann. I'll get to them as soon as I can. Lee Ann's will be fun and easy. Tish's, not so much.

Monday, May 14, 2007

FATE

My first email this morning was from a staff person with the symphony. It's symphony week this week (last concert of the season--yay!), so I wasn't overly concerned about what this particular person might be emailing. She tends to go overboard on that sort of stuff. This one was different, though. She asked if any of us had seen this morning's paper. I hadn't, so I went online. There, I read that a plane crash on Saturday in NW Montana killed a pilot, two skydiving instructors and two students who were going to tandem jump with the instructors.

The two students were symphony musicians from Great Falls and frequent players with our orchestra. Two outstanding musicians, both in their mid-20s, engaged to be married at the end of the summer. They were leaving Montana at the end of May--he was to go to Calgary to play french horn up there; she was heading to Michigan (I believe) to work on a doctorate degree in oboe performance. This was their last fun Montana adventure before they left.

In a state with a small population such as Montana, chances are good that you know someone who knows someone who is involved in things like this. Add to the mix that most of the orchestral musicians in the state at least know of everyone else, and this one is a bitter pill to swallow. And devestating for the Great Falls music community, in particular. Godspeed to you both, Jenny and Kyle...

And the FATE part? Most of you know Rachel, she of the currently blank blog... I knew that she had planned on going up there to do the same thing herself this month. I talked with her this morning. As FATE would have it, she had originally booked THE EXACT SAME FLIGHT/TIME/COMPANY, but decided to postpone it for a week. As you can imagine, she's postponing the idea for awhile now.

FATE--it's a fickle thing...

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Happy Mother's Day!

I'm in a unique situation today. If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know that mine is a close-knit family. Which means we get together for just about any reason that we can come up with. Mother's Day usually means heading out to the golf course with my mom and my sisters, and their kids. Then the requisite BBQ at my parent's house. Well, not this year. S2's kids are out of town, BIL2 has to work, S3's family is away for one of the kid's softball tournaments, I think, and the kicker--Mom is on an Alaskan cruise with Dad. I'll fill my afternoon with a staff meeting, then have some day-old Chinese take-out (cold, of course).

So for Mother's Day this year, I want to reflect on my favorite blogger moms. Some moms keep their kids out of their blogs, while others talk about their kids more than anything else. We've seen pics of some of them, and others are left to our imagination. There's alot of moms out there who are single-handedly raising their children, and I find I admire them the most. Many are still in school. Some are fighting health issues. Some are young, some are young at heart. A couple are fighting custody battles. There's been a few births in our "community" since this time last year. First-timers and old-timers. Some are in less-than-ideal situations at home. The common thread among all of them? They love their kids. More than anything else in life. While that seems like the way it should be, it often isn't.

I debated about actually listing my favorite moms, but instead of names, I'll just describe them:

The single mom who works full-time, goes to school, brags about her kid at every opportunity, and deals with her own challenges.
The unofficial HNT mom, who has helped out many a blogger, and a few real-life people as well.
The young mom who is raising her newborn twins and their sister after their dad walked out the door and turned into a freak.
The mom who has been fighting for custody, as well as some other real-life issues.
The mom who sews dozens of costumes a year for her daughters cheerleading team.
The mom whose husband is military, and has spent more time away than together. Truly an incredibly strong woman.
The mom who's been regaling us with stories of her kids, including her newest one with the mammary obsession.
The mom whom I someday hope to get to refer to as "Mom" ;-)
The mom that most of you don't necessarily know as a mom, and who doesn't look anywhere near old enough to be the grandmother that she actually is!
The mom who seems to have a good custody arrangement, a daughter who looks like a clone, and a son who sports one of the greatest mohawks around.
The mom who shares her son's love of drums, Sinatra and Daft Punk, and isn't afraid to show the world her goofy dancing with him.
The mom who is remodeling her childhood home, returning to her pre-baby weight, and graces us with lots of pictures of her new boy.
The mom whose newest son will be raised in a loving, if a bit unique, family atmosphere with his other brothers and sisters.
The mom whose daughter had her first chance at motherhood taken away.
The mom with the genius daughter.
The mom who feels like she's riding a bike and going nowhere, but "volunteered" to lead her daughter's scout group.
The mom who doesn't really mention her kids much, but does occasionally share a hammock with them.
The young mom whose own mom passed away recently, and still feels and shares her pain.

And you know that I could go on and on. But these ones all hold a special place in my heart. Happy Mother's Day to everyone!

You also know that I couldn't let it go by without posting a picture of MY mom. Yeah, I used it last month, but it's still a good one! Hope you're having fun in Alaska, Mom!

Friday, May 11, 2007

Oops...

Imagine my surprise this afternoon when I found out that we have a gig tonight! How'd that happen?

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Morning Has Broken HNT

Before I get started, did you realize that the pianist in this song was none other than the great Rick Wakeman, phenomenal keyboardist of YES during their greatest line-up? Ah, I digress...

If you read my post from the weekend, you'd know that I didn't make very good use of it. What has transpired since is that I've made the decision to get up with the sun this summer. Unless I've got a gig the night before. In which case I might not make it HOME until sunrise. What I've found already is that there's a great deal of work that I can get done before 9AM! You guys generally don't update your sites in the early morning, so there's no pressure to get around to check things out. Early morning TV is really bad. I might as well work!

So to celebrate the breaking of a new day and a new attitude, here I am at around 6:10 this morning. Is it time for a nap yet...?

Ah, this week's Mystery Guest.
You need to click to take a peek...

Due to a communications problem, the scheduled Mystery Guest didn't get pictures in, and I don't have anyone in reserve. Sorry about that!

"...the Other HNT" has a few more submissions this week, and is NSFW. Be sure to stop by and show some love!

The Graduation Picture Contest is fast approaching! A number of you have said you'd send pictures in, but I've only gotten about 10. I'd like to get at least 2 dozen. Time to dig them out! Check out the post below for more explanation!

Bonus points for anyone who knows what next week is!

Monday, May 07, 2007

Sudden, Severe, Explosive Headache

No, not a sudden, severe, explosive headache.
Not a hangover headache.
Not a migraine headache.
Just one of those nagging, slept-on-my-neck-wrong headaches.
Alternated between TV and napping all day yesterday.
Finally decided to go to bed at 6:00.
Up for an hour between 11 and midnight.
Back to bed until 6:45 this morning.
Weird dreams.
Could take a nap right now if given the chance.
What a waste of a weekend.

Apparently, during my incapacitation, the green leaf fairy came and worked her magic. Almost all the trees in town have bloomed. That's nice. Hope it's a sign of bigger and better things!
EDIT: Between the time I went to work and the time I was driving home, the let's-fuck-him-up-the-ass-by-raising-gas-prices fairy worked his magic too. From $2.97 to $3.08, and it's not even close to Memorial Day (I'm guessing $3.25 by then...).

Sunday, May 06, 2007

May 6, 1970

I knew that MG's birthday was Sunday, which meant that if I wanted to send her a card or flowers or something special like that, I'd have to send them Friday to her workplace. Knowing that I'd stalk the hell out of her if she told me that information, she politely declined. So this is the next best thing I could do. (besides, if she thinks she's getting the OsShirt....)

She loves her Patron. She loves her hats. She loves her Cadbury's Eggs. She loves her kids. She loves her hammock. She loves her middle finger (especially when she means it!). She loves her HNT.

Sorry--I lost the comments when I transferred this...

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Tagged

7 Habits/7 Songs

Tagged by the lovely Lady Roxanne. Not sure what the correlation is between the two, but it's been awhile, so what the heck....

7 Habits

I let things pile up. Dishes, laundry, bills--if it can be piled, I'll pile it!
I make rude or sarcastic comments to people who don't quite know my humor yet. They feel belittled, when that wasn't the intent at all.
I drink gallons of Diet Coke w/Lime more than I should per week. Literally.
I only wear a seat belt when I'm out of town on the highway. Never while in town.
While I enjoy performing around town, I am rarely an audience member for my fellow musicians in town. If I weren't a member of the symphony, I doubt I'd go to the concerts. I need to be actively involved, not passively involved.
I correct typos while chatting. I hate misspellings. If one slips past me, I correct it in my next comment.
I get a little perturbed when an otherwise bright and intelligent person misuses common words in writing, such as then/than or loose/lose. I won't say anything, but will feel a sense of superiority.

7 Songs

Clea - Matrix IX
The Rodeo Song - Gary Lee and Showdown
Bellavia - Chuck Mangione
Amie - Pure Prairie League
South City Midnight Lady - Doobie Brothers
Mas Que Nada - Sergio Mendes
September - Earth Wind & Fire

I'm supposed to tag people now, but I won't. Feel free to steal it though!

Thursday, May 03, 2007

OsShirt and HNT

Sometimes you come up against the deadline for HNT, and you wrack your brains for an idea, and wonder what you'll possibly be able to do. And then something drops conveniently in your lap. The new OsShirt came back to me rather than going directly to its next stop. Someone had mentioned that they hadn't seen me wearing this one, whereas there were plenty of pictures of me and the old one. So before sending it off again, I figured I'd better take a picture wearing it. Authenticating it, as it were. The saucy, open-collar look isn't quite my style, but that button is missing already! Stealth? Tara? Mom? Anyone know anything about that??

I've sung the praises of the built-in camera of the iMac G5 that I use at work. I had to try out some of the other effects that come with it (without having to use extra software). So you get another 4 shots. Hope you like them (I don't know what's up with the bug-eyes...)!

I'm not sure how much of a mystery this week's Mystery Guest will be. Joining us in spirit this week is Shumpy, who was a wonderful and gracious host for our first night of the 50th birthday celebration in Dallas. If you can't read the button, I suggest you maybe click on the young lady's tush. You might get the answer! I'll be revealing her identity tomorrow afternoon, for those who haven't figured out who it is!
I'm getting bad about doing this in a timely manner... Shumpy's fan is the lovely, leggy No One In Particular. Go check her out in all of her baseball fanatic goodness!

"...the Other HNT" returns to more of its NSFW style, after a tame week last week. Be sure to check out your fellow HNTers, and leave a comment this week!

FYI--May 5th is "World Naked Gardening Day". Last year, we used that as a HNT theme (note my profile pic). This year it snuck up on me, so no official theme. But if you want to change pictures quick, feel free! Go check out the official website here! Thanks, Tara, for bringing it to my attention!

Be sure to check out the contest rules for the Graduation Picture Contest running here this month! The explanation is one post down...

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