I was surfing around on Saturday, drinking my Diet Coke w/lime, watching the "Godfather" marathon on AMC, and basically just lounging around. As I have mentioned on occasion around here, I haven't been terribly thrilled with my ISP. For a couple of months I've had "issues" with my internet cutting out, or being redirected to search sites if things were taking too long. I call up my ISP, and I get the same response. Try the 3Rs: Restart your modem. Restart your router. Reboot your computer. Things look fine from here. Surprisingly, they actually sent a real person out the last time, who fixed a couple of things, but obviously hadn't taken care of my problems.
Yesterday got to be quite frustrating. I must have gone through the 3Rs at least a half dozen times throughout the morning and afternoon. Finally, I call my ISP (they're on speed dial on my cell phone). I got a fairly pleasant sounding woman (after the 5 minutes of "push 1", "push 2", etc.), who seemed to know what the hell she was talking about. We did the whole 3Rs thing, and I still couldn't even get onto the internet. And that's when she told me that her computer had been talking with my modem the entire time. So, by process of elimination, we determined that the router was where my problem existed. Damn. I thanked her, and she wished me a good afternoon, and I was left on my own.
I was all ready to head to Staples (because we don't have any big electronics/computer store anywhere nearby) to buy a new router. That I can't afford. But I thought I'd try one last thing. My last resort would be to reset the router to its factory specs. If I could figure out how. I was able to finally get back online, and surprisingly, I found some support on its website (even though it's a discontinued router), and I was able to get in to reset administrative passwords, and reset the clock, and sort of go through all of my options to see where things were set at.
OMG. It's like I opened up my router and shook out all the extra "0"s and "1"s that had built up inside. Like digital dust bunnies clogging up the nooks and crannies. Probably from all those HNTs. Since resetting everything, I haven't had a single instance of problems, and the speed at which pages are loading is obviously faster than it was before. Hopefully this was all that I needed to solve my problems. I'm sure you'll hear about it if it wasn't!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
HNT Refresher Course
"...but Os, aren't you concerned about people quitting?..."
Funny how I get this question from time to time. And it seems that it runs in cycles. Waves of people opting to back out of HNT at the same time. These past couple of weeks have found the lastest wave of quitters (and that's totally the wrong word, but I can't think of the right one...). According to their sites, the reasons vary. Some have pulled out for professional reasons. Others have grown weary. Some say that it's not "fun" for them anymore. Some posted a long explanation, feeling they needed to justify their decision. I have no problem with that. Really. I have no stake in their site, and no say in what they can post, anymore than they have any say in what I decide to post. I'll admit I was somewhat bothered by some of the comments that certain posts generated. Some of them were a bit too sanctimonious and "holier-than-thou" for my tastes. Others were more of the "kissing-ass" variety to maintain their friendships with the blogger (reminds me alot of the playground antics from 5th grade...). Yet others commended them for their decision/reasons, but also let them know that they themselves would be continuing. If I were to have commented, I probably would have fit that category. I'm not going to say goodbye to them, because I don't visit their sites in the middle of the week for their HNT. I visit for their writing or their stories or their pictures. These people aren't dead. They've just made the decision to no longer participate in HNT. And I'm totally fine with that.
"...but Os, aren't you concerned about people quitting?..."
I wasn't going to post anything about this until an amazing thing happened today. From my best estimations, I found TEN new HNTers this week. In either their first or second week! TEN!! And there's probably another dozen that have come on board since the first of the year! We haven't had growth like that since early 2006. While I don't believe that we'll ever hit the numbers that we did that year, I feel like we're experiencing a a bit of a growth spurt. And that means new friends to be made, new stories to read, and new adventures to explore. And a chance for me to run a little refresher course here:
- GUIDELINES - If you haven't read them recently (or ever), click on the link and read them. They haven't changed a single word since the day they were first posted during the third or fourth week. You can also find linkable icons to put on your own sites.
- THEMES - Themes don't happen a great deal. I've noticed some people upset that they "missed" a theme, when no theme was given. I will almost always give a 2-week notice for themes. And I'll post a theme-alert at the top of my sidebar, which will link to the instructions for it.
- "I'M UP!" - It helps all of us if you comment on my site that "you're up", rather than hope that people will just wander by. Not a requirement, by any means, but how will anyone know you're out there if you don't let us know? Unless that's how you want it...???
- COMMENTS - I hear this alot--"how come no one comments on my HNTs?" The easy answer is that the more you comment on other sites, the more you're going to get others to comment on yours. The amount of skin you show affects that to some degree, but it's just a small part of the equation. That's just the way it is.
- COMPETITION - THERE IS NO COMPETITION IN HNT!!! If you feel that there is, then it's a mindset that you have to deal with. There is no "best of HNT" contest at the end of the year. There is no "best of HNT" website sanctioned by me or anyone associated with the "production" of HNT (which, it happens, is only me). Yes, Vixen does her Friday Favorites successfully, and others have done it to some degree. But they ask permission to use photos, etc., and it's up to the individuals if they want to be included if asked. Again--I can't help what people want to put on their own sites.
"...but Os, aren't you concerned about people quitting?..."
The answer--no, I'm not concerned. It's a cycle of life. I think HNT is going strong, and will for quite awhile. To the newbies, welcome! To the veterans, thanks for your perseverance! To the ones who have left, thanks for sharing!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Somewhat Gross and Disgusting HNT
On the days that I have a little time on my hands (HA! Yeah. Right...) I'll spend a little time perusing the various pictures over at Flickr. There's some truly wonderful photographs/photographers over there. Certainly puts me in my place.
Among the various communites over there, you can always find some sort of group to join. Or daily/weekly themes. Some fun, some weird. Well, one of them struck me as odd, but I put it in the back of my mind in case I was in dire need of an idea for HNT. Well, today was that week. The group looked like it was based on weekly dares, and the picture I saw was of a very attractive woman licking the kitchen floor. Yep, the theme was "Dare to Lick Your Kitchen Floor". And due to lack of inspiration, here I am, licking my kitchen floor.
Some things to note: I did not clean the floor prior to licking it. I might not be feeling well... I am happy to report that I did this in one take, but didn't realize the camera strap was in the picture. But I can accept that. My tongue was sorta coated, but that doesn't show, thank God. And fortunately, you can't see how really disgusting the floor is underneath the lower cupboards. At least it gives me a project for the weekend! Now if you'll excuse me. I'm feeling a little woozie....
We seem to have a trend of newer HNTers here for Mystery Guests lately, and this week is no exception. I don't quite know how to describe her, other than to say that we haven't had anyone quite like her around these parts for awhile! Does the term "stream of consciousness" mean anything to you? She's got it down pat! And insatiable, especially when it comes to her husband. I haven't gone through all of her archives, but she always seems happy/positive. Even with the ones that aren't! And you just can't help but smile when you say her name! She's been very good about commenting on your sites for HNT. She strikes me as the type that perches at the computer all night Wednesday, checking out all that she can (ah, just like the old days!)
If you know who this fireball is, be sure to stop by and say hi! We'll reveal her late Thursday afternoon!
Anyone who's gotten one of her comments would certainly recognize our MG as I Smile 2 Much. And boy, does she ever! You can see more of this particular photo session over at her HNT site. Don't miss out!
Once again, we have a nice little collection of pics over at "...the Other HNT". Be sure to stop by and leave a comment! Oh, yeah--NSFW!
Spring is officially here! The temps have been quite nice, there's almost no snow to be found anywhere, and I almost ran over my first squirrel of the season! It was just sitting in the middle of the road, looking like it just woke up out of hibernation. Really shaggy and somewhat incoherent. Rather than scurrying off quickly, it sort of just stared me down, motionless, until it shook its little head and hauled ass off to the nearest tree. Yes, spring has sprung! Now if we can just get the grass to turn green...
I should have mentioned it in the "comments off" post, but we have a second birthday today! Stop by Masquerade's to wish her one!
Among the various communites over there, you can always find some sort of group to join. Or daily/weekly themes. Some fun, some weird. Well, one of them struck me as odd, but I put it in the back of my mind in case I was in dire need of an idea for HNT. Well, today was that week. The group looked like it was based on weekly dares, and the picture I saw was of a very attractive woman licking the kitchen floor. Yep, the theme was "Dare to Lick Your Kitchen Floor". And due to lack of inspiration, here I am, licking my kitchen floor.
Some things to note: I did not clean the floor prior to licking it. I might not be feeling well... I am happy to report that I did this in one take, but didn't realize the camera strap was in the picture. But I can accept that. My tongue was sorta coated, but that doesn't show, thank God. And fortunately, you can't see how really disgusting the floor is underneath the lower cupboards. At least it gives me a project for the weekend! Now if you'll excuse me. I'm feeling a little woozie....
We seem to have a trend of newer HNTers here for Mystery Guests lately, and this week is no exception. I don't quite know how to describe her, other than to say that we haven't had anyone quite like her around these parts for awhile! Does the term "stream of consciousness" mean anything to you? She's got it down pat! And insatiable, especially when it comes to her husband. I haven't gone through all of her archives, but she always seems happy/positive. Even with the ones that aren't! And you just can't help but smile when you say her name! She's been very good about commenting on your sites for HNT. She strikes me as the type that perches at the computer all night Wednesday, checking out all that she can (ah, just like the old days!)If you know who this fireball is, be sure to stop by and say hi! We'll reveal her late Thursday afternoon!
Anyone who's gotten one of her comments would certainly recognize our MG as I Smile 2 Much. And boy, does she ever! You can see more of this particular photo session over at her HNT site. Don't miss out!
Once again, we have a nice little collection of pics over at "...the Other HNT". Be sure to stop by and leave a comment! Oh, yeah--NSFW!
Spring is officially here! The temps have been quite nice, there's almost no snow to be found anywhere, and I almost ran over my first squirrel of the season! It was just sitting in the middle of the road, looking like it just woke up out of hibernation. Really shaggy and somewhat incoherent. Rather than scurrying off quickly, it sort of just stared me down, motionless, until it shook its little head and hauled ass off to the nearest tree. Yes, spring has sprung! Now if we can just get the grass to turn green...
I should have mentioned it in the "comments off" post, but we have a second birthday today! Stop by Masquerade's to wish her one!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
5 Posts I Wish I Had Never Written
Tish tagged me for this, which shouldn't have surprised me. After all, I was instrumental in one of her more embarrassing posts! She was tagged by Christy, at Christy's Coffee Break. This one took some work, because after all, I clicked the "publish" button, but I did find five that qualify. In no particular order:
Beware: The Ugly Side of Os -- This is story of the dark, murderous side of Os. It wasn't pretty, even though some of you thought of it as sort of funny...There ya have it. Five posts that I wish I'd never written. I'm supposed to tag 5 of you, and for once, I'm going to! I tag Vixen, Charlie, Q, Figleaf and Julie. Have fun!
The Hardest Post I've Ever Written -- Nothing embarrassing about this one. I just wish I hadn't had to write it, let alone post it. Still don't know any more than we did before.
It's Dorky Tuesday!! -- The very first Dorky Tuesday we had made me post a picture that showed the world for the first time that I wasn't always the smooth, suave, sex-god that you've all come to love...
Let's Lighten the Mood A Bit -- I had mentioned in an old post about me in a tutu. I posted a picture of it. Wish I hadn't...
Danger, Will Robinson! Danger! -- Ah, the infamous "Fuck you!" post. I let out a rant that I haven't been able to equal in the two years since I posted it. I scared some people with it. I still haven't told anyone if it was a real life situation, or a blogger one. Still won't say!
Monday, March 24, 2008
To appease my obsessive stalker...
I am alive.
Easter weekend was low-key.
Half the family sick, the other half out of town.
Had brunch Sunday with Rachel and a mystery friend.
Sunny skies and 60 degrees yesterday!
I assume you all had similar weather! (heehee)
Real post to come later tonight. Maybe.
Easter weekend was low-key.
Half the family sick, the other half out of town.
Had brunch Sunday with Rachel and a mystery friend.
Sunny skies and 60 degrees yesterday!
I assume you all had similar weather! (heehee)
Real post to come later tonight. Maybe.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Song and Dance HNT
I love this time of year. Easter. And not just because it's when we Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. Though I AM one of those who is moved more by the religious meanings of Christmas and Easter than the commercial. But the tangent I'm currently on has nothing to do with this post. Much.
By accepted standards/definition, Easter MUST happen after the official first day of spring. So that's a good thing. And if it's spring, then it's less than 4 weeks until my birthday. Easter has fallen on my birthday maybe half a dozen times in my young 50+ years of life. So that's cool. And off on another tangent.
Early to mid-April is when the Masters is played at Augusta National, and when I die, my ashes will be spread over that course. Yep, a third tangent.
What I REALLY like about Holy Week is that the epic biblical movies all come out. I loves me some "Ten Commandments" or "Ben Hur" or "Spartacus" or "The Robe". But I also like some newer movies, particularly "The Passion of the Christ", and, of course, "Jesus Christ Superstar". By now, most of you realize that I was King Herod in Carroll College's production from 10 years ago. I had to come up with my own song & dance routine. I had dancers behind me, but it basically was my solo. I got some of my ideas from the King Herod character in the movie, and others from some vaudeville routines I'd seen. But I spent many hours watching the video over and over. As I've said in the past, King Herod's Song is unlike anything else in the opera. Campy, fun, and comic relief in the midst of a stressful production. Who better than I to do that?!?
Moose was there and got to see me. First thing she'd tell you is that I wore these great pants. I'm here to tell you that they SUCKED! BIG TIME! Satin-y white with lavender stripes. Bell bottoms, of course. We were all dressed as hippies. What I did like was the shirt that the costume designer came up with. I made off with it after the show. Why? I don't know. It's not like I could wear it out in public.
Surprisingly, I've never seen JCSS on TV. Ever. I'm not sure why not. "Hair" has been on TV. So has "Godspell". So every Easter, I pop in my DVD of JCSS, put on my King Herod shirt, pull out my illegal copy of the score, and keep working on the dance steps, in case I ever have to do it again! Without the white and lavender striped pants (note the poor execution of "jazz hands").
Click on it, if you dare, for the view from the other side...
This week's Easter Bunny is fairly new to HNT. Even though she's new-ish to us, she's already decided that moving to a HNT-only site is a good move. She's a professional photographer, so you know her pictures MUST be good! She's resourceful--she's even made it home on a tire fixed with duct tape! She likes the outdoors, and even knows what Cabela's is! But she's girly, too. She wants a Dodge 4X4--in light purple. And just looking at her picture, you can tell she's girly! She's just a simple girl living a simple life and loving it! Boop-boop-e-doop (squeak)!
This MG is the lovely Naughty-I. You can check out another view of her new corset on her new HNT site! Go over and say hi!
OK, I don't usually do this, but because it's her birthday on Thursday, and I'm a pushover for this sort of thing--we've got a second MG! This one is a longtime favorite around here, and a good friend of mine. I hope you've already been by to wish her a happy birthday, but if not, I'll reveal her in the afternoon and you can still have time to do it!
It's not too much of a secret that the birthday girl is Stealth! Today, she hit the big 3-0! If you haven't been by yet, stop by and wish her a Happy Birthday!
There's another interesting mix to be found over at "...the Other HNT" this week, including 3 different continuations of previously-submitted themes, and the beginning of another! As always, NSFW! Be sure to stop by and leave some comments!
Vernal equinox happens Thursday, with a full moon immediately after! If you're the type that dances in the moonlight, this would be a good weekend to do it (right, doc?). Take pics!
Have a Happy Easter Weekend! And if you've got a good egg salad recipe you'd love to share, please do!
By accepted standards/definition, Easter MUST happen after the official first day of spring. So that's a good thing. And if it's spring, then it's less than 4 weeks until my birthday. Easter has fallen on my birthday maybe half a dozen times in my young 50+ years of life. So that's cool. And off on another tangent.
Early to mid-April is when the Masters is played at Augusta National, and when I die, my ashes will be spread over that course. Yep, a third tangent.
What I REALLY like about Holy Week is that the epic biblical movies all come out. I loves me some "Ten Commandments" or "Ben Hur" or "Spartacus" or "The Robe". But I also like some newer movies, particularly "The Passion of the Christ", and, of course, "Jesus Christ Superstar". By now, most of you realize that I was King Herod in Carroll College's production from 10 years ago. I had to come up with my own song & dance routine. I had dancers behind me, but it basically was my solo. I got some of my ideas from the King Herod character in the movie, and others from some vaudeville routines I'd seen. But I spent many hours watching the video over and over. As I've said in the past, King Herod's Song is unlike anything else in the opera. Campy, fun, and comic relief in the midst of a stressful production. Who better than I to do that?!?
Moose was there and got to see me. First thing she'd tell you is that I wore these great pants. I'm here to tell you that they SUCKED! BIG TIME! Satin-y white with lavender stripes. Bell bottoms, of course. We were all dressed as hippies. What I did like was the shirt that the costume designer came up with. I made off with it after the show. Why? I don't know. It's not like I could wear it out in public.
Surprisingly, I've never seen JCSS on TV. Ever. I'm not sure why not. "Hair" has been on TV. So has "Godspell". So every Easter, I pop in my DVD of JCSS, put on my King Herod shirt, pull out my illegal copy of the score, and keep working on the dance steps, in case I ever have to do it again! Without the white and lavender striped pants (note the poor execution of "jazz hands").
Click on it, if you dare, for the view from the other side...
This week's Easter Bunny is fairly new to HNT. Even though she's new-ish to us, she's already decided that moving to a HNT-only site is a good move. She's a professional photographer, so you know her pictures MUST be good! She's resourceful--she's even made it home on a tire fixed with duct tape! She likes the outdoors, and even knows what Cabela's is! But she's girly, too. She wants a Dodge 4X4--in light purple. And just looking at her picture, you can tell she's girly! She's just a simple girl living a simple life and loving it! Boop-boop-e-doop (squeak)!This MG is the lovely Naughty-I. You can check out another view of her new corset on her new HNT site! Go over and say hi!
OK, I don't usually do this, but because it's her birthday on Thursday, and I'm a pushover for this sort of thing--we've got a second MG! This one is a longtime favorite around here, and a good friend of mine. I hope you've already been by to wish her a happy birthday, but if not, I'll reveal her in the afternoon and you can still have time to do it!It's not too much of a secret that the birthday girl is Stealth! Today, she hit the big 3-0! If you haven't been by yet, stop by and wish her a Happy Birthday!
There's another interesting mix to be found over at "...the Other HNT" this week, including 3 different continuations of previously-submitted themes, and the beginning of another! As always, NSFW! Be sure to stop by and leave some comments!
Vernal equinox happens Thursday, with a full moon immediately after! If you're the type that dances in the moonlight, this would be a good weekend to do it (right, doc?). Take pics!
Have a Happy Easter Weekend! And if you've got a good egg salad recipe you'd love to share, please do!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Stuff
I like the current background picture. I'm going to keep it for awhile.
The "Abbey Road"-like picture in the header is from my trip to the Oregon coast in 2005. I don't know who the people are.
The local paper finally picked up the story that the symphony was nationally recognized. They ran a story here (surprisingly). And yes, if you click the picture in the sidebar under "Story Extras", your humble host can be seen there too!
The "Abbey Road"-like picture in the header is from my trip to the Oregon coast in 2005. I don't know who the people are.
The local paper finally picked up the story that the symphony was nationally recognized. They ran a story here (surprisingly). And yes, if you click the picture in the sidebar under "Story Extras", your humble host can be seen there too!
Monday, March 17, 2008
St. Paddy's Day Update
Well, I opted out of the O'Toole's gathering. Picked up just a bit of the hack again last night and didn't sleep very well. Drinking at 8AM just wasn't in the cards again this year. This is the scene from 3 years ago. Maybe later in the day...
Back on St. Patrick's Day 2005, I posted about a particular bar in Butte where everyone goes to drink. They have a webcam that shows the day's festivities. The link doesn't work anymore, but check out the hits I've had today. This was as of 10:30 this morning. More interestingly, check out who one of my visitors was! Thank God our government is checking up!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Well, another week of symphony hell has come and gone, and the realization that I tend to zone out the rest of the world when that happens. Things I've missed out on this past week:
"They" are tearing down my old elementary school, where I spent 3rd-6th grades. It used to be the Catholic high school when my dad attended (Cathedral High, home of the "Greenies"--that was really their team name...). I'm not sure why they're taking their time in bringing it down, but it means that I might be able to get some pictures. Just seeing some of the exterior walls torn down has brought back a flood of memories. Unfortunately, since we're talking over 40 years ago, they're mostly in black and white...
Found out that both my parents are sick now (no, not my fault). Dad's got pneumonia and Mom has asthmatic bronchitis. Apparently one of my sisters stopped by yesterday and Mom wouldn't even let her in the house. Not sure what this will do to the weekend plans.
Some more national recognition for the symphony. Alex Ross, who is the music critic for The New Yorker, picked up on the article in Symphony that I mentioned in my prior post. He made note of it on his blog, which is highly read by the artsy-fartsy types. It's just a small post, but any press is good press!
Is anyone else excited for the premier of "In Plain Sight" with Mary McCormack on the USA Network? Whew!
I will be at O'Toole's in the morning at 8:00 AM for the first green beer, resuming my string of "first beers" over the years. I'll try to take pics!
I always thought it would be Ginger--Not sure why this just came out last week, since it happened last month (last Oct., actually), but Dawn Wells, Gilligan's "Mary Ann", was caught in Idaho with pot. She was sentenced last month. Go here to get the details.- Did anyone else realize that Easter is next weekend?? How the hell did that happen??
- I know it's been sort of nice out, but I noticed that some tulips near the door to my apartment complex have started to peek out of the ground. Just a matter of time before the deer find them...
- Friendships are delicate things. Even the strong ones.
- March Madness starts up this week. I don't even know who's seeded in each bracket, let alone who's been #1 all season. Men or women. Any division. I have totally ignored college basketball this season, and don't miss it in the least!
- Apparently the Pope declared that St. Patrick's Day celebrations should occur last Friday, so they wouldn't happen during Holy Week.
- Good thing I found that out, so that I wouldn't have headed down to Butte for the annual parade/drunkfest.
"They" are tearing down my old elementary school, where I spent 3rd-6th grades. It used to be the Catholic high school when my dad attended (Cathedral High, home of the "Greenies"--that was really their team name...). I'm not sure why they're taking their time in bringing it down, but it means that I might be able to get some pictures. Just seeing some of the exterior walls torn down has brought back a flood of memories. Unfortunately, since we're talking over 40 years ago, they're mostly in black and white...
Found out that both my parents are sick now (no, not my fault). Dad's got pneumonia and Mom has asthmatic bronchitis. Apparently one of my sisters stopped by yesterday and Mom wouldn't even let her in the house. Not sure what this will do to the weekend plans.
Some more national recognition for the symphony. Alex Ross, who is the music critic for The New Yorker, picked up on the article in Symphony that I mentioned in my prior post. He made note of it on his blog, which is highly read by the artsy-fartsy types. It's just a small post, but any press is good press!
Is anyone else excited for the premier of "In Plain Sight" with Mary McCormack on the USA Network? Whew!
I will be at O'Toole's in the morning at 8:00 AM for the first green beer, resuming my string of "first beers" over the years. I'll try to take pics!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Recognition, Controversy, and General Unsettledness
I know I rant and rave and bitch and moan about the symphony, but to tell you the truth, I love what I do, both musically and as part of the artistic staff. Especially over the past year and a half. I remember doing a post maybe two years ago during the time when I was really having personnel problems, and someone asked if things were so bad, why do I stick with it? And was there anything good that happened with the symphony? Well, that was a wake-up call. I hadn't realized that my blog (as an extension of my real life) had descended so far into the pits of negativity. I'd like to think that things have improved. In spite of whatever bitching I do, I realize that I'm doing something that not a whole lot of people get to do, and I do it well. And don't tell anyone--I'm having a ball doing it! And apparently things are beginning to pay off...
We belong to a national symphony organization (League of American Orchestras). They lobby, they educate, they help out organizations when asked, they are a wealth of information for everything symphonic in the U.S. And they put out a monthly (I think) magazine/journal titled (are you ready for this?) Symphony. We, in turn, fill out surveys and budget information and programs for the year so they can compile all that information so that we can all know what everyone else is doing. Apparently, the music we programmed this season caught the eyes of someone in the offices of Symphony. We were one of three orchestras featured in an article about small-budget orchestras (less than $1,000,000) and how they can program music that one wouldn't expect to be able to be played by "lesser" orchestras. Ours was the feature orchestra of the three and got the most ink. I won't bore you with specifics. Five of the ten pages are individually jpeg'd below. You can read it or not.
But what I DO want you to do is click on the fourth page there and check out the picture halfway down the page. I'd tell you who you'll see, but modesty prevents me....
Ah, we haven't had any controversy or button-pushing topics in quite awhile around here. Until yesterday. One of the first emails I read when I logged on yesterday morning was a scathing email about my support of the young lady wanting breast implants. Her email had some valid points, from an outsider's view. There were also numerous comments basically telling her not to get them. So let me go on record here--
I am 100% in favor of her goal. She's researched it, asked the questions, and has been diligent in making sure that things are safe for her. She's not some floozy--she's geeky and smart and works in a related field. Sort of. She knows what she's doing.
If this were a random girl who came and asked for my help, I would have probably declined. But this is one of my earliest bloggerfriends. She and I have already had the conversation. I told her on numerous occasions that I thought it was an unnecessary procedure. As did many of her blogfans. Even suggesting that the money would be better spent traveling to Europe or something. But this is not something that she woke up one morning and decided she had to do. The fact is--the decision has been made. A long time ago. This is a woman who is unhappy in her current body. And there's not one of us who knows how unhappy. Yes, she's got a body that 73.487% (that's a scientific number, by the way) of HNTers would love to have. But she's not happy with it. For whatever reasons. And there's no way that we can argue with that.
I wonder what the reaction would have been if she had a body such that she was asking for clicks to get a breast reduction. Would there have been a similar chorus of "no, don't do it"s in that case? Don't we all, at some point, look at our bodies and wish that, with the wave of a magic wand, our bodies would be something that we like? More of this, less of that, shift this over there, change the color, tattoo it, cut it, pierce it. Ultimately, regardless of what everyone might tell us, we alter our bodies on a daily basis. Sometimes more radically than others, but that's our choice. If this girl wants implants to help her feel better in her own body, who are we to talk her out of it? She works out, she does the whole healthy eating thing. It's not like she's looking for a quick fix. Nor is she doing it so that she can get more stares from the guys. She gets plenty of those already. And she's not looking for DD stripper boobs. She's doing this for herself and for no one else.
There's at least a half dozen women who HNT who already have opted for cosmetic breast implants. Should we jump down their throats too? I would think not. My guess is that every one of them has found it to be a positive experience, and that they are more comfortable with their bodies than they were before. This girl was not asking us to decide for her, or even asking for an opinion. She was asking for our clicks on that link to achieve a financial goal. Without costing any one of us a single cent. Maybe not the way each one of us would do it, but the way that she wants to do it.
Other general unsettledness yesterday... I had another email that was somewhat threatening. I was going to ignore it, but I stewed about it all day, and mailed off a response last night. I behaved, but it wasn't easy. The unsettledness wasn't confined just to me, either. A couple of blogs that went private yesterday. A couple of blogs that are about to die out. It just seemed that the whole day was not a "feel good" day. I blame the leap year. And to top it off, I did something fairly stupid the other night that I'm just realizing has probably bruised a good relationship. One of those things where I should have known better, and I think I'm going to have to take my lumps on this one.
I've got a date with Beethoven all weekend, so once again I won't be around much. Have a good weekend! And get un-unsettled!!
Oh, and since this is MY pontification (and it's been awhile!), you don't get to leave comments. Why? Because that's the way I want it! (if you feel you must, go ahead and email me...)
We belong to a national symphony organization (League of American Orchestras). They lobby, they educate, they help out organizations when asked, they are a wealth of information for everything symphonic in the U.S. And they put out a monthly (I think) magazine/journal titled (are you ready for this?) Symphony. We, in turn, fill out surveys and budget information and programs for the year so they can compile all that information so that we can all know what everyone else is doing. Apparently, the music we programmed this season caught the eyes of someone in the offices of Symphony. We were one of three orchestras featured in an article about small-budget orchestras (less than $1,000,000) and how they can program music that one wouldn't expect to be able to be played by "lesser" orchestras. Ours was the feature orchestra of the three and got the most ink. I won't bore you with specifics. Five of the ten pages are individually jpeg'd below. You can read it or not.
But what I DO want you to do is click on the fourth page there and check out the picture halfway down the page. I'd tell you who you'll see, but modesty prevents me....
Ah, we haven't had any controversy or button-pushing topics in quite awhile around here. Until yesterday. One of the first emails I read when I logged on yesterday morning was a scathing email about my support of the young lady wanting breast implants. Her email had some valid points, from an outsider's view. There were also numerous comments basically telling her not to get them. So let me go on record here--
I am 100% in favor of her goal. She's researched it, asked the questions, and has been diligent in making sure that things are safe for her. She's not some floozy--she's geeky and smart and works in a related field. Sort of. She knows what she's doing.
If this were a random girl who came and asked for my help, I would have probably declined. But this is one of my earliest bloggerfriends. She and I have already had the conversation. I told her on numerous occasions that I thought it was an unnecessary procedure. As did many of her blogfans. Even suggesting that the money would be better spent traveling to Europe or something. But this is not something that she woke up one morning and decided she had to do. The fact is--the decision has been made. A long time ago. This is a woman who is unhappy in her current body. And there's not one of us who knows how unhappy. Yes, she's got a body that 73.487% (that's a scientific number, by the way) of HNTers would love to have. But she's not happy with it. For whatever reasons. And there's no way that we can argue with that.
I wonder what the reaction would have been if she had a body such that she was asking for clicks to get a breast reduction. Would there have been a similar chorus of "no, don't do it"s in that case? Don't we all, at some point, look at our bodies and wish that, with the wave of a magic wand, our bodies would be something that we like? More of this, less of that, shift this over there, change the color, tattoo it, cut it, pierce it. Ultimately, regardless of what everyone might tell us, we alter our bodies on a daily basis. Sometimes more radically than others, but that's our choice. If this girl wants implants to help her feel better in her own body, who are we to talk her out of it? She works out, she does the whole healthy eating thing. It's not like she's looking for a quick fix. Nor is she doing it so that she can get more stares from the guys. She gets plenty of those already. And she's not looking for DD stripper boobs. She's doing this for herself and for no one else.
There's at least a half dozen women who HNT who already have opted for cosmetic breast implants. Should we jump down their throats too? I would think not. My guess is that every one of them has found it to be a positive experience, and that they are more comfortable with their bodies than they were before. This girl was not asking us to decide for her, or even asking for an opinion. She was asking for our clicks on that link to achieve a financial goal. Without costing any one of us a single cent. Maybe not the way each one of us would do it, but the way that she wants to do it.
Other general unsettledness yesterday... I had another email that was somewhat threatening. I was going to ignore it, but I stewed about it all day, and mailed off a response last night. I behaved, but it wasn't easy. The unsettledness wasn't confined just to me, either. A couple of blogs that went private yesterday. A couple of blogs that are about to die out. It just seemed that the whole day was not a "feel good" day. I blame the leap year. And to top it off, I did something fairly stupid the other night that I'm just realizing has probably bruised a good relationship. One of those things where I should have known better, and I think I'm going to have to take my lumps on this one.
I've got a date with Beethoven all weekend, so once again I won't be around much. Have a good weekend! And get un-unsettled!!
Oh, and since this is MY pontification (and it's been awhile!), you don't get to leave comments. Why? Because that's the way I want it! (if you feel you must, go ahead and email me...)
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Wearin' o' the Green HNT
Those of you who have been around for awhile might remember that last year at this time, I was lamenting the fact that my favorite Irish bar here in town (O'Toole's) was closing its doors after serving its last beer on St. Patrick's Day. And that I had a symphony rehearsal on that morning, so I'd miss the first beer poured on that day, and a concert that night, so I'd miss out drinking there completely. And on a Saturday at that...Well, for whatever reason, they didn't close their doors, and the beers will be flowing all day. On a Monday. I will be there at 8AM, and will have the first green beer out of the tap (Bud Light, I think). And I'll have a shot of Jameson's whiskey. Maybe two. And maybe a Bushmill's. But I'm working on the Guinness right now, because I hear that I might run into my niece down there, and she's a Guinness lover. And I refuse to be a wimp who can't hold his Guinness if she buys me one! Hope you all have a SAFE and fun St. Patrick's Day!
I've never been afraid to pimp out a blogger for one reason or another. When this week's Mystery Guest asked if I would do this for her, how could I say no? She knows she's got me wrapped around her little finger! Many of you will recognize her, but she's asked not to be revealed. Her site is private, but those of you who have access have already seen this.For over a year now, this MG has expressed a desire for breast implants. It's something she's thought about for a long time, and she's done alot of research. While many of her readers, including myself, have told her that it's really unnecessary, it comes down to the fact that this is something she wants to do for herself, and you have to respect that. In the same way that we respect the 5 or 6 of you who have also had implants! So she's been working on the financing for this, but real life things keep biting her in the ass. Until she found this site:
Create The Perfect Girl at MyFreeImplants.com!
She's done some investigating, and the site is legit. So she's signed up for it. The basic idea is that she gets referrals to the site, and the more referrals she gets, the more she'll be featured. And donations are based on that sort of thing. It doesn't cost you a penny to click, and she gets the referral points for it. Even though this might not be your own cup of tea, please do me a favor and give it a click! I'll even put it in the sidebar for you to come back and click again and again My guess is that when she does get the implants, she'll be more than happy to show them off to us!
This week's offerings over at "...the Other HNT" are quite a mix of pictures. And just a little more NSFW than usual. And there might even be a different picture of the MG over there too!
I've got a symphony concert this weekend. All Beethoven. The man really knew when to use the trombones (Symphony 5 and Symphony 9), and when to give them a break, not use them, and allow them to go to the pub. That includes this weekend! I'm finding that when I don't have to worry about being a musician, this gig ain't too bad! Be sure to come back on Friday for something special I'm going to share with you about us!! You're going to be impressed!
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Road House Blues
My weird Patrick Swayze obsession in bad movies is well-documented in this blog (though I will NEVER watch "Dirty Dancing" again--sometimes the horridness is just too much. Which is too bad, because Cynthia Rhodes is pretty hot...). But I digress. In my dementia this past week, I missed this item:"...blind blues musician Jeff Healey wasn't so lucky escaping fate this week, as he sadly succumbed to a cancer at age 41. Many knew Healey best from his appearance as Cody in the movie Road House (famous line: "I thought you'd be bigger"), so this sad news was compounded when Road House star Patrick Swayze revealed this week that he has (possibly terminal) cancer himself."WTF?? A double dose of bad news. The Jeff Healey Band was grossly underappreciated, and his biggest hit was, unfortunately, that dreck titled "Angel Eyes". He was a great talent, regardless of his blindness. His unique style of guitar playing made it even more amazing. And the second news--that Patrick Swayze might have terminal cancer?? Ugh...when will it all end...?
Since I'm on a death theme here, Moose called me last night to let me know that her grandmother died late Friday. Not unexpected, but still. She's in San Francisco for a conference, will fly home Sunday, then off to the funeral a couple of days after that. When it rains, it pours...
Friday, March 07, 2008
Beware! Bodily Fuctions to be Discussed!
Nice job on the "I Love My Mac" theme yesterday! Some nice improvisation shown by those who don't have Macs or iPods. And only a couple of real Mac haters! Shumpy (who always seems to have access to some of the best pictures!) sent me this one. Wish she were a real HNTer! I have to say, though, that I'm a tad disappointed that no one took me up on the lapful of macaroni...Things look like I should be back to "normal" sometime this weekend. I had my first decent night of sleep last night, and most of my symptoms have cleared up. I still have a sinus full of gunk, but no pressure or running.
I haven't been much of one to really write anything this week, or to check out alot of your sites. Which doesn't mean that I haven't been thinking of things. Unfortunately, I didn't write down any notes, or hints, or anything that would help me when I got back around to writing. Doubly unfortunate--you're about to read what DID stick with me all week. A warning right now--if you're not into gross and/or graphic details of my sickness, click out of here right now!
- I had two different sorts of coughs. Both to the point of feeling like I needed to puke. One was a shallow, from-the-neck type. It took care of the snot that was running down the throat, but also made me feel like I was going to burst a vessel in my temples. Rough on the throat, hell on the head.
- The other cough came from the very depths of my innards. This was the type that tried to cough up a lung. I swear that I broke a rib one day. And at the peak of my coughing, almost every orifice was involved. I'd fart, sneeze, cough, my eyes would tear up and my ears would want to burst. I'm happy to report that I never pooped/peed my pants, though I consider that a miracle.
- Speaking of sneezing--didn't start doing that until Wednesday. I prefer sneezing to coughing. Except for the running snot.
- I have found that, as a brass player, my natural reaction when I sneeze is to form an embouchure (the buzzing of the lips to play). If I'd had a horn in front of me each time, I'd have belted out some of the loudest sounds known to man!
- Someone else's blog mentioned "corn flake" snot. I prefer that to the runny snot.
- Lack of movement on my part while sleeping all day really did a number on my joints. And my back. I actually had to watch how I sneezed in order not to really screw it up!
- As soon as I finish this post, I will take my first shower since Sunday night.
- I brushed my teeth every day. Some things are required (thanks to Dad, the retired dentist!).
- I ventured out of my apartment twice since last Friday. Sunday night to pick up Rachel to take her to a belated bday dinner (she took one look at me and told me to go home). The other was last night, to do a minor rehearsal set-up for symphony. It was good to get out into some fresh air, but 45 minutes was about all I could handle. Fortunately, I made arrangements for someone else to tear down.
- Daytime TV really sucks.
- Late, late night TV really isn't much better.
Once again, the MG folder is empty. I've contacted some of you about contributing, but the invitation is open to all! Don't wait for me to ask!
Don't forget about the time change this weekend (for those of you who observe Daylight Savings Time!). One more sign that spring is just around the corner!!!!
Thursday, March 06, 2008
"I Love My Mac!" HNT
BUT I HATE MY ISP!!!
Sorry for the delay, guys...
I figured that most of you would be posting pics of your newer model Macs, so I thought I'd go with one of my older ones. Sort of like those WWII fighter planes that just sit around until they get gussied up for an air show or something. This Mac sits in my back room, but I don't usually use it.
Back before the turn of the century, Macs were still sort of a novelty. Before the iMac, there was the iBook. Came in a big white clamshell case, with these gaudy bright colors (the fruit colors--tangerine, strawberry, grape, blueberry and lime). They came out with the iMacs in the same colors shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, no one but dedicated Mac users would buy such toy-like machines. Then they got some great design people on board. Got rid of the CRT monitors in favor of flat-screens. Compacting things down to sizes that no one could have imagined. And all of a sudden, PC users started taking notice. Macs were no longer a "toy"!
I keep this one hooked up, even though I don't use it anymore. I don't think I'll ever put it in storage. Sometimes you just need to keep your old friends around. Sorry it's not a better picture. I'm feeling lousy...
This week's Mystery Guest has been blogging for quite awhile, but just recently got involved with HNT. She's certainly not your average chick! She's musically inclined, which of course scores big points! She's a student, needs to shower every day, and generally needs some form of sex every day! =) Then again, don't we all...
I'll reveal her Thursday afternoon, but leave her a message if you know who it is!
Many of you recognized this cleavage as belonging to the Amorous Chick (or is it Amorous Rocker?--yer a bit inconsistent there...). Be sure to stop by and check out her site!
"...the Other HNT" is definitely NSFW this week, but not a huge number of submissions. Be sure to stop by and check out your fellow HNTers!
Since I never see any of you truly describing your illnesses on your blogs, I thought I'd take the opportunity to run you through mine...
Ah, hell. I'm bagging that idea. The high points--I wheeze, but I can breathe through my nose. Until this afternoon. I cough alot. To the point where it feels like there's a broken rib. To the point where you expect to see that same stuff that you see in the colon cleanse ads come spewing out. My head hurts. My joints hurt. Bright lights hurt my eyes. Good news--no fever, and no stomach problems! But I can always look ahead!
I figured that most of you would be posting pics of your newer model Macs, so I thought I'd go with one of my older ones. Sort of like those WWII fighter planes that just sit around until they get gussied up for an air show or something. This Mac sits in my back room, but I don't usually use it.Back before the turn of the century, Macs were still sort of a novelty. Before the iMac, there was the iBook. Came in a big white clamshell case, with these gaudy bright colors (the fruit colors--tangerine, strawberry, grape, blueberry and lime). They came out with the iMacs in the same colors shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, no one but dedicated Mac users would buy such toy-like machines. Then they got some great design people on board. Got rid of the CRT monitors in favor of flat-screens. Compacting things down to sizes that no one could have imagined. And all of a sudden, PC users started taking notice. Macs were no longer a "toy"!
I keep this one hooked up, even though I don't use it anymore. I don't think I'll ever put it in storage. Sometimes you just need to keep your old friends around. Sorry it's not a better picture. I'm feeling lousy...
This week's Mystery Guest has been blogging for quite awhile, but just recently got involved with HNT. She's certainly not your average chick! She's musically inclined, which of course scores big points! She's a student, needs to shower every day, and generally needs some form of sex every day! =) Then again, don't we all...I'll reveal her Thursday afternoon, but leave her a message if you know who it is!
Many of you recognized this cleavage as belonging to the Amorous Chick (or is it Amorous Rocker?--yer a bit inconsistent there...). Be sure to stop by and check out her site!
"...the Other HNT" is definitely NSFW this week, but not a huge number of submissions. Be sure to stop by and check out your fellow HNTers!
Since I never see any of you truly describing your illnesses on your blogs, I thought I'd take the opportunity to run you through mine...
Ah, hell. I'm bagging that idea. The high points--I wheeze, but I can breathe through my nose. Until this afternoon. I cough alot. To the point where it feels like there's a broken rib. To the point where you expect to see that same stuff that you see in the colon cleanse ads come spewing out. My head hurts. My joints hurt. Bright lights hurt my eyes. Good news--no fever, and no stomach problems! But I can always look ahead!
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
I must have done something very bad in a prior lifetime to be punished this bad....
Can someone get me one of these in the next 6 hours??? Please????
Monday, March 03, 2008
"Here we come, walkin' down the street..."
Stayed home from work all day. Tried to sleep most of it away. I've noticed that the coughing is getting more frequent. The stuffy nose is getting stuffier. Not getting a fever though. Yet. And I'm not pukey. Yet.I had little interest in surfing--my eyes are puffy and sting a little. But I'm smart enough to know that I didn't get it from you guys. Besides, Macs don't get viruses...
Speaking of Macs (like the segue?), don't forget the HNT theme this week--"I Love My Mac!" HNT.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Neglect
This past week and a half has totally kicked my ass. And totally unexpectedly. Biggest thing I've found are the things/people I've neglected:
Oh, to top things off, I got an email today reminding the orchestra that the first rehearsal for the next concert is this Thursday...
My blog--I haven't posted since Wed. night, and frankly, haven't really wanted to. Nothing to say, nothing to expound on.That's pretty much it.
Your blogs--haven't had the chance/desire to make the rounds this week. Quick peeks at HNTs, but that's about it.
My health--I mean beyond the good diet/exercise things that I don't do. I willed myself to stay well all week, even being around sick musicians, and an auditorium full of kids, half of whom were coughing. I did well through the week, in spite of working up a sweat then working out in the cold. I've been down for the count all weekend, and expect it to get worse. I won't get into the joint pain or arthritic knee that I've been dealing with...
My car--wiper blades are wonky. During the middle of the week, they totally failed on me. In the wet snow storm.
My finances--I've got a couple of bills past due, but that's manageable. Creative bookkeeping comes in handy here, too.
My emails--I've got about 6 emails that I haven't responded to. Emails from friends. I just don't have the desire to get to them right now (but I will!).
My wife and kids--Well, not much to worry about there, is there?
My horn--Yeah, this might be a surprise, but this last concert wasn't terribly difficult/challenging/satisfying for the trombones. Not much time was spent working on it. And Beethoven didn't write in any trombones for the two pieces on our next concert. Frankly, since we folded In Cahoots, my playing has gone way downhill.
Oh, to top things off, I got an email today reminding the orchestra that the first rehearsal for the next concert is this Thursday...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)