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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Drilled HNT

Since becoming a member of the "I Gots Diabetes!"® club almost 2 years ago, one of the things that's been drilled into me is that my immune system has now been weakened. And that I need to have yearly flu shots. For 52 years, I survived without flu shots (except that pesky swine flu shot we all had to get in 1976). But it's dawned on me that since leaving the hospital, I haven't used a single sick day at work! If that's because of the flu shot, or eating healthier, or dumb luck, so be it! But not one to take chances anymore, I went in to get my annual flu shot this afternoon. And this is my public service announcement to you--don't wait! Get yours now! You, too, can get a cute little band-aid like this!

No Mystery Guest this week, so I'll use the space to remind everyone that Boobiethon 2011 starts up on Saturday! HNTers have been pretty good supporters over the years of previous Boobiethons, and I don't imagine that's going to stop. If you've never heard of it, read this brief synopsis below, then go to their site to get more details (including how to submit pictures, too!).
2011 marks the 10th Annual Blogger Boobie-Thon. Bloggers from all over the globe send in photos of their boobies (covered and uncovered) to help raise money for Breast Cancer Research. In the past nine years we have raised over $74,000.00 ion the past 8 years and we are back to do it all again on October 1, 2011!

The 2011 event kicks off on Friday October 1, 2011 and will run for one full week, ending at 11:59 pm on Thursday October 7, 2011. Just as we have done in the past we will be supporting a Bloggers Helping Bloggers charity as well as Komen. For more detailed information about the Blogger Boobie-Thon and how it started, please visit The History of the Boobie-Thon written by the Boobie-Thon Founder, Robyn in 2005. You can also find another "History of the Boobie-thon" at heyfreak.com.

Again, there's something for everyone this week over at "...the Other HNT"! NSFW, as always, but go check them out anyway! And leave some comment lovin' for your fellow HNTers!
Any of you thinking about trying Blogger's new template options? It appears that they're trying to become more Tumblr-ish. Sorta cool, but not sure I'm going to cross over. I tried it with this site, just to see what it would look like. I just didn't like what it looked like. And some customization didn't transfer over. I might give it a shot with OHNT, but I'll let it get the bugs worked out first.
Word on the street is that iPhone 5 will be announced on Tuesday, and released a few weeks after. Lord, I hope so!
Theme Alert! - Don't forget that we've got a theme coming up! It's going to be "Post-it®" HNT on October 6th. See my HNT from two weeks ago to see more details!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Redneck HNT

It was 11 months ago that I dropped my Droid and cracked the screen, which made an appearance for HNT. At that time I was able to buy a screen protector (closing the barn door after the horse got out?), which kept the glass shards together, while protecting my fingerprints from slicing each time I slid across the touch screen. For all intents and purposes, everything worked well, other than texting. In the worst part of the screen, I might have pressed a particular letter, but the glass shard would trigger a different one. The upside of that? My texting became less of a priority, simply because it took so long to actually complete a sentence!

Things have changed over the last few weeks, however. The protector, which did a great job for 8 months, started peeling away. Not its fault--the screen is no longer a fully flat surface. And the glass shards have ground against each other, creating a fine glassy dust. In other words, there's nothing solid for the protector to stick to. So I did what any good redneck would do. I whipped out the duct tape. And honestly, it's working pretty well.

At least until I'm the first in line to pick up the new iPhone 5 (PLEASE, let that be next month!!!).


"Out on the edge of night
In any city you can name
There rides the rebel girl
The wild one no-one dared to tame
And the light in her eyes is a fire

Have you seen her
The rebel girl in action in the city
At night you hear her call
Oooh rebel girl"

Excerpt from "Rebel Girl" ~ Survivor


This rebel girl jumped the gun on the Post-it® HNT, but she does a good job showing the possibilities! She'll be revealed on Thursday afternoon, so come back and find out who she is!
This rebel girl is Maggie, formerly from "Today Did Not Suck"! No link, because she's not blogging anymore, but she wanted to let us know that she's still occasionally checking us out, and things are chock full of sunshine!
There's lots to look at over at "...the Other HNT"! Stop by, ogle, and leave comments, OK? It's still NSFW, of course.
Gosh, what an uproar over at FB today! A week from now, no one will have a problem with it, but today? What hatred! I think it mostly comes from the lack of warning. And no users guide to let us know what's changed, and how to find it. And the worrying about FB blatantly ignoring privacy settings. Or are they? Who knows? I'm not overly concerned about it--I can adapt pretty easily. But it's certainly frustrating! (Notice that Pandora's page has changed, too?!?)
Did you see that the third version of "The Thing" comes out next month? I'm a sucker for this sort of thing!
Theme Alert! - Don't forget that we've got a theme coming up! It's going to be "Post-it®" HNT on October 6th. See last week's HNT to see more details!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Just a bunch of stuff...

Hmmm...what to write...

Symphony concert went well on Saturday night. A bit more busy work than I had anticipated doing, but it's all part of the game. October, on the other hand, I anticipate will have all sorts of busy work to do!

My football teams seem to be on a roll. The Griz defeated the defending national champion of the FCS (who are now 0-3...it's tough to be on top!). Cats are winning too, though they haven't beaten anyone of note. Looks like Gucci and I will be having another bet this fall! Trust me...you'll want to be rooting for the Griz!

The weather here has been great for the most part. In fact, we'll be hitting the mid-80s by the end of the week. For as cold and rainy as the summer started, it's certainly making up for it now!

Had a bday dinner thing Sunday night. No kids!!! Not by design, but by circumstances. Two away at college, one flying back from a trip to Alaska, and one with basketball practice. It's the way these family dinners are going to be in the future now...

The family dinners are always a great way of hearing stories from our past that not everyone knew about. This time around it was the story of how my sisters broke the news to my parents that I was in the hospital, but wasn't in a near diabetic coma anymore. The fun and hilarity ensued as they tried to convince me that this all happened on a Thursday night, when I knew it was on a Friday night. They were all so certain of this I started to wonder if I was as bad off as it sounded. A quick check of my paperwork (and FB and blog) verified that I was correct. Even though I was the one that was in lala land!

Theme Alert! - Don't forget that we've got a theme coming up! It's going to be "Post-it®" HNT on October 6th. See last week's HNT to see more details!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Sticky Wicket HNT








Not much to say here.
Flypaper.
Illogically placed.
Me not paying attention.
Recreated here for your ridicule and pleasure.
You're welcome.











1950′s Homemaking tips — a crash course
Have dinner ready: Plan ahead even the night before to have a delicious meal on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospects of a good meal are part of the warm welcome needed.
Prepare yourself: Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-wary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.
Clear away the clutter: Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift, too.
Prepare the children: Take a few minutes to wash the children’s hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair, and if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.
Minimize all noise: At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of washer, dryer, dishwasher, or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quite. Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and be glad to see him. Some don’ts: Don’t greet him with problems or complaints. Don’t complain if he’s late for dinner. Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day.
Make him comfortable: Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soft soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax-unwind.

Listen to him:
You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first.
Make the evening his: Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and relax.
The goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

Come back Thursday afternoon to find out who our contemporary 50s couple might be!
Our MG couple are those sexy Aussies, Jas and JM. Go check out each of their blogs and say hi!!

We've got a pretty good crew over at "...the Other HNT" again this week. A little bit of something for everyone!
Theme Alert! - I don't think we've had a theme since the Christmas themes. My bad! So this one's going to be a little different. It's going to be "Post-it®" HNT on October 6th. What does that mean? Use one (or as many as you like) Post-it® notes in your HNT for that week. Use any of the available colors. Use them to hide a tattoo. Or to label a scar. Or to frame your belly button. You can write a message (even directed to an individual!) on one and stick it on you. Or draw a picture on it. Or use one of those custom shaped ones. It's really up to your imagination. And if your private parts tingle when walking into an office supply store, feel free to use other office supplies as well (but don't forget the Post-it® note(s)!).

It just now dawns on me that this might be a US-only product... Is there something similar outside of the US? Email me if you have questions. Post the theme alert on your own sites. Have fun with it!
The first symphony concert of the season is this weekend. Fairly easy concert--Barber, Rachmaninoff & Elgar, if you're interested. Won't be around much after tomorrow, so carry on without me!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Football and other things

Double-header Monday Night Football?? I'm a fan! Even if it's a sloppy game like the Raiders/Broncos game...
Speaking of football, the Carroll College Saints suffered their first conference loss since 2006, snapping a 44-game league win streak. It was just Carroll’s 15th loss overall since 2000. A bit of a shock, as Eastern Oregon was unranked, but sometimes shit happens...
On a more positive note, the Griz looked pretty good in avenging last year's loss to Cal Poly. Maybe they can turn it back around this year! Their next opponent is Eastern Washington, the current National Champion in the FCS. EWU was shocked by South Dakota this weekend, and will be playing this week in Missoula, so conditions are ripe for another Griz win!
Spent Sunday alternating between 9/11 coverage and NFL. The opening of the memorial was nice, and it appears that it could easily become the #1 tourist attraction in NYC. But the best viewing this year was a documentary that I first wrote about in 2008...
"Watched a new documentary on the History Channel last week. "102 Minutes That Changed the World" gives a new look at the events of 9/11 through photographs, videos and radio recordings from the NYPD, the FDNY, the Port Authority, professional journalists and amateurs. No narration, no script, and no fancy editing. Just a very subtle soundtrack that you probably won't even notice.

The various videos are spliced together somewhat chronologically. It gives a view that the news stations couldn't. Personal vantage points. Video of the chaos on the streets, and in various buildings. Some from inside the WTC buildings, to as far away as Hoboken. Perhaps the most intense scene is from the NYU students who are just a couple of blocks away in their 32nd floor apartment, hearing the comments in disbelief that they are seeing people jumping, rather than chairs falling out. Or their horror as they see the second plane hit the towers. And the sheer panic to get out of their own high-rise. Or perhaps it's the husband and wife telling each other in disbelief that one, then both of the towers had collapsed, and telling their little girl to go back into her room and watch her movie. Or seeing the same little girl telling her baby brother that the towers are "all gone". To fill out the two-hour block, the remaining 18 minutes feature the actual people whose videos were used. Talking about what they saw, why they taped it, and how it's affected them over the years.

Of any 9/11 documentary I've ever seen, this is one that should not be missed!"

I ran into a panic situation this morning. The power adapter for my MacBook Pro developed a short and finally failed on me. Yeah...one of those first-world problems. I can't just go out and get a replacement, as the nearest Apple Store is 500 miles away in Salt Lake City. Fortunately, however, there is one place in town that sells Macs, and they happened to have ONE replacement. To the tune of $79. I love Apple, but geez...
The weather has been beautiful here, and will continue for the near future. Meaning that tonight's full moon could be seen in all its glory. Even through the haze of some smokey skies, thanks to some fires in the western part of the state. Damn, I do like living here!

Thursday, September 08, 2011

Remembering HNT

It's not often that millions of people watch history being made as it happens, at the same time. Very few people actually saw the bullets that struck President Kennedy. Tens of millions have seen the Zapruder film after the fact, but there were only a few actual witnesses. Perhaps the biggest audience ever to watch history being made was when man landed on the moon, and those first tentative steps by Neil Armstrong. Not a terribly clear picture, but people witnessed it together, wondering if the moon was made of cheese, or if tiny aliens would eat him alive (not that I'm giving away the plot to "Apollo 18"). Jump ahead to the Challenger disaster. While just about everyone around would recognize that white plume heading into the incredibly blue sky, with the ball of fire at the top, I doubt that millions were watching it as it happened (I was though). Shuttle flights were routine at the time, so live TV audiences were small.

Then there's the events from 10 years ago. I don't imagine there were even a thousand people who actually witnessed the first plane smashing into the North Tower. Millions of people have only seen it because of a film crew that happened to catch it at the last second--being in the right place at the right time. But the second plane? A totally different story altogether. By that time, millions of people were glued to their TVs, and unexpectedly witnessed the horrific event that officially put the U.S. under terrorist attack. And then the subsequent collapse of each tower. Not only were millions witnessing history together, they were watching murder of hundreds upon hundreds together. The nation, the world, has not been the same since that day.

I don't want to get into a "where were you?" thing here, but I will say that, being in a rural state thousands of miles away, it was totally surreal. And frankly, a little disconnected from our lives here. Business carried on that day, other than aviation. I seem to remember that federal buildings might have been evacuated, and perhaps the state capitol building, but no one was really panicking. We lived in Montana. Nothing was going to happen to us here. People just shook their heads in disbelief at the visuals. They might have looked at each other with a tear in their eyes. There was a bond of sorts, even among strangers, yet it was still so disconnected.

Until stories came out about relatives who lived there (including a cousin of mine who lived in lower Manhattan at the time). But everyone was pretty much OK, and it still stayed somewhat disconnected. For me, it didn't really start to hit home until years later, when documentaries started appearing on TV. Images and videos that were not part of the original news coverage, taken by "regular" people who just happened to be watching history unfold before their eyes. And who weren't really sure if they would become casualties in a war that had just been declared. Bringing it down to a more personal level is what really brought me out of the disconnect. I now find myself with tears in my eyes if I watch any of it for a short amount of time.

This past week or two have found nightly documentaries about 9/11. Some about why it happened, or how it happened, or even one debunking the conspiracy theories (if you're one of those people--get a life). But the one that I liked best didn't focus on history, but on the future. The future of the site, and the memorial being built to honor the dead.

Maybe it's because I don't live there or haven't visited there, but I never heard anything about the reconstruction. Couldn't find any pictures of the final design. Couldn't find out anything about the clean-up, or any sort of work being done. But this one series of films took care of all that. The entire area has been transformed, and is continuing to transform into a livable area again. So in lieu of my own images, I offer you a look at what the future holds for the site. It's a whole lot prettier than anything I could have come up with.

Be sure to click these to get the full sense of things!


On the left is the architect's rendition of the completed WTC site. The building on the left will tower 1776' above ground, making it the tallest building in NYC. It is already over 1000' completed, and can be seen in the Manhattan skyline. The park area below is highlighted by two pools that occupy the footprint of the two original towers. The pools will have the largest man-made waterfalls in the U.S., and will be lined with the names of everyone who was killed in the attacks, including the Pentagon and Flight 93. On the right is a rendering of the park surrounding the pools. Four hundred oak trees from the various attack sites will be planted here. Most of them are already planted. As well as callery pear known as the "Survivor Tree", which was nursed back to health after surviving the 9/11 attacks at Ground Zero.


Another architect's rendering on the left, showing the 9/11 Museum between the two pools, which will open in September 2012. On the right, an actual photograph of one of the pools with the night lights on and the water running. More photos and stories can be found at the memorial website. I urge you to go check it out.

Finally, I leave you with one of the most powerful images from that day.


I'd give you a big hug

everyday if I could
along with some kisses,
you know I would

So I hope you like this
that I bottled for you....
kisses when needed
and a big bear hug too!
~ shirleyt@craftayings.com

Or maybe her Cheese-kun, too! This week's huggable Mystery Guest will be revealed Thursday afternoon. Come back to find out who she is!
After worrying about having anymore MGs, Silly Mistress jumped in to volunteer! Be sure to go visit her at Fighting Sanity!




We've got some new participants over at "...the Other HNT" this week! And for no apparent reason...lots of toys! Glad to see some of you coming out of the woodwork! Be sure to check them out, and leave some comment lovin'! Very NSFW, as usual.

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

A Good Day

Spent Sunday out at the lake. Probably the last time I'll be out there this season. We celebrated a couple of birthdays, drank lots of beer (I'm finding myself increasing my "limit"...gotta watch that), and ate like trailer park trash at Golden Corral. It was a gorgeous day--all sun, not a cloud in the sky, and just a hint of breeze. Beer pong. That variation of cornhole that they play. XMSirius playing the 70s station. Football. Jet skis. Storytelling (the ones that my sisters didn't want their kids to hear). Visitors from all over the lake stopped by, so there was a steady stream of new people. Most of whom I didn't know. The only one missing was Mom, who was out in Portland visiting S1 for the weekend. All in all, a great way to put a cap on summer.

Note the difference in lake level/beach! Pics on the left from 4th of July weekend. The ones on the right are from Sunday! (click 'em to big 'em!)


(Note the stump in the water on the very far left, and its location on the beach this weekend!
It's stuck in the sand, so it didn't move--just the water!)



(The waterline of July is the end of the beachline in September!)


(The beach, and the arrival of a neighbor's party barge!)


(Cabin at the top, bunkhouse to the right)


(The outhouse (carpeted, no less!), the bar, and about 20% of the coolers that were scattered around.
Can't have the beer too far from reach!)


Hrmph...

Maggie.
Vixen.
Autumn.
Daisy.
BFD.

I'm not at all happy.

Thursday, September 01, 2011

Miner's Gold HNT

This week's HNT is primarily for the benefit of my beer drinking girls who have deserted me over the years. They know who they are...

Our favorite beer drinkin' place was the Brewhouse. If you've been around, you've seen various pics taken in front of the place. It's where I was first introduced to calamari. It's where I watched Carroll College win one of their many national championships, while drinking many many beers (ah, the old days...). It's where just about everyone in town goes when they want good food, good service, and good beer.

I mention all this because the Brewhouse was built around the Sleeping Giant Brewery, which occupied the basement. Because the brewery is prohibited by law to operate as a bar or restaurant, the Brewhouse took care of that part of things. They did have a tasting room, however, which was allowed to sell no more than 24 oz. of beer to a customer per day (or a growler, for off-premises consumption). Generally that meant three 8-oz./glasses per visit (which could actually hold 12 oz., and sometimes it would "overfill"...oops!). At around the time of the Lewis & Clark bicentennial, the brewery changed its name to the Lewis & Clark Brewing Co.

Fast forward to this past winter. The brewery purchased a former paint factory in town, and they started refitting it to brew beer. The new space held its grand opening this past weekend. The new tasting room is good sized, and the whole space is gorgeous. Even with the 24 oz. limit, I have a feeling this place is going to be packed! And the Brewhouse has plans to expand into their now-vacant basement. So everyone's going to win!

And to the subject of the picture--while L&C Brewing was busy remodeling things for the public, they were also busy canning their beer! This is like a dream come true! Pictured is a can of Miner's Gold, which is probably their biggest seller. I cannot estimate how many kegs of this stuff I've consumed over the years. Of course, it tastes a little different than the draft beer, but it's pretty close! There's at least two other flavors that are available in cans too. Lewis & Clark Brewing. Buy some if you can find it!


Three weeks in a row without a Mystery Guest. Does that mean we're finished with that?
"...the Other HNT" going strong! Be sure to check out your fellow HNTers over there. As always, it's NSFW.


For those of you who celebrate Labor/Labour Day this weekend...have fun! Enjoy saying goodbye to summer, but don't drink and drive!