Substitute HNT

The Great and Powerful Os is on a cruise this week, so I, Crimson, will be your host tonight.
I actually talked someone into being an anonymous Mystery Guest tonight, so enjoy!!
Oh...and remember, turn off word verification to make commenting a little easier ;)

HNT anonymous will resume next week.

OsTour - The Caribbean

"Views From the Back Row" will be somewhat neglected this week, other than for HNT.

Please stop by OsTour - The Caribbean" for pictures and stories of the upcoming week!

One Last Ramble Before I'm Outta Here!

I have to get up in 4 hours to get ready to go to the airport, and yet, here I sit finishing a post! I have serious issues....

Last minute reminders--if you want to be included in next week's anonymous HNT, get your pictures sent in ASAP. I'm not going to have alot of time to get them posted! Address is: hntanon@gmail.com

Same thing for Mystery Guest. There are about a half dozen names in the mix right now, but I can always use more!

I hope to do a separate blog with pictures. Maybe I'll use the Nashville Tour page. I'll let you know...

Velma--where are you??

OsShirt--where are you??

Play nice whilst I'm away!!

Why can't I think of things like this??

Saw this article online, and post it without any other comment, other than to note that I don't arrive in Miami until tomorrow night, so this wasn't me...

Phony doctor gives free breast exams

MIAMI (Reuters) - A 76-year-old man claiming to be a doctor went door-to-door in a Florida neighborhood offering free breast exams, and was charged with sexually assaulting two women who accepted the offer, police said on Thursday.

One woman became suspicious after the man asked her to remove all her clothes and began conducting a purported genital exam without donning rubber gloves, investigators said.

The woman then phoned the Broward County Sheriff's Office and the suspect fled. He was arrested at another woman's apartment in the same Lauderdale Lakes neighborhood on Wednesday, a sheriff's spokesman said.

The white-haired suspect, Philip Winikoff, carried a black bag and claimed to be visiting on behalf of a local hospital.

"He told the woman that he was in the neighborhood offering free breast exams," sheriff's spokesman Hugh Graf said in a statement.

At least two women, both in their 30s, let him into their homes and he fondled and sexually assaulted them, the investigators said.

Winikoff was not a doctor, Graf said. He worked as a shuttle driver for an auto dealership.

Preparation HNT

So why am I going to the Caribbean? Simple. I was told I was going. My parents will be celebrating their 50th anniversary this summer. They told us last fall that they wanted to do something special. With their kids. To backtrack--they had gone on a weeklong cruise about a year ago to Nova Scotia and the surrounding areas. Neither of them had ever gone on one, and they both absolutely loved it. It made enough of an impression that they decided that this is what they wanted to share with their kids. And thus, plans were made.

Over mild objections, they also informed us that they would be paying for everything. Passports, airfare, cruise, excursions, booze (big mistake...), hotel in Miami. The works! No grandchildren allowed, but spouses were included. Which left me high and dry, but they said that if I were to have "someone special", they'd pay for her, too. Of course, they knew they'd be safe there... I should have mentioned this months ago. Held a contest or something. Seems to be plenty of you wanting to join me! But I digress. The only thing that they won't pay for are gifts we may or may not buy, nor will they pay for any gambling we might do in the casino. That seems fair.

So, in less than 60 hours, I'll be flying to Miami, via Minneapolis. I'll be sure to look down and wave at all of you, especially in Tennessee. I'm assuming I'll be flying over Tennessee. I'll just look for the borders from the air. I'll be taking a computer, so I'll try to post once a day like Addict did, but I won't be surfing much. HNT will run like usual, thanks to the lovely Crimson, and I'll probably shoot out an email or two.

So now I need to spend the next couple of days packing. I think I've got a good start here. Am I missing anything?

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"secretly i pride myself on being a visual distraction... though i would never admit to it."


This week's Mystery Guest will reveal herself Thursday afternoon, so let the guesses fly!


Today's Mystery Guest is none other than the lovely Firefly! She hasn't been around a great deal over the past couple of weeks due to the new addition to her household. Be sure to stop by and say hi!

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Don't forget to check out "...the Other HNT"!

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Early posters include BTExpress (who's got a big date with Lori!), Wenchy (who posted just past midnight in Africa, and Aughra, who's still preggers and in bed early!

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Please turn off word verification for the day!

Could use a couple more pictures for the anonymous site this week! Send them to hntanon@gmail.com

Stolen...

Put your music player on shuffle. Press forward for each question. Use the song title as the answer to the question. Post on your blog. Comment back if you post it on your site. No comment regarding whatever songs that might come up. Remember--I'm a musician in a cover band. I need to know these things. At least, that's my excuse, and I'm sticking with it...

(stolen from Addict and others)

~Will I get far in life?
Whiskey Lullaby. Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss

~How do my friends see me?
Breezin'. George Benson

~Where will I get married?
Complicated. Carolyn Dawn Johnson

~What is my best friend’s theme song?
Give Me One Reason. Tracy Chapman

~What is the story of my life?
The Way You Make Me Feel. Michael Jackson

~What was high school like?
You're All I Think About These Days. Patty Loveless

~How can I get ahead in life?
The Lady Is A Tramp. Frank Sinatra

~What is the best thing about me?
Hole Hearted. Extreme

~How is today going to be?
Father Figure. George Micheal

~What is in store for this weekend?
Piano Man. Billy Joel

~What song describes my parents?
Hold On. Santana

~My grandparents?
South City Midnight Lady. Doobie Brothers

~How is my life going?
The Heat Is On. Glenn Frey

~What song will they play at my funeral?
All Star. Smash Mouth

~How does the world see me?
Suicide Kings. Cherry Poppin' Daddies

~Will I have a happy life?
(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66. Asleep At the Wheel

~What do my friends really think of me?
I Do. J. Geils Band

~Do people secretly lust after me?
Go, Go, Get 'Em Grizzlies. Erik "Fingers" Ray

~How can I make myself happy?
Sick And Tired. Cross Canadian Ragweed

~What should I do with my life?
All I Wanna Do. Sheryl Crow

~Will I ever have children?
Takin' Care Of Business. Bachman-Turner Overdrive

~What is some good advice?
Let It Ride. Bachman-Turner Overdrive

~What is my signature dancing song?
Nobody's Girl. Reckless Kelly

~What do I think my current theme song is?
Trip Around The Sun. Jimmy Buffett/Martina McBride

~What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
Simple Life. Carolyn Dawn Johnson

~What type of men/women do you like?
I Don't Feel Like Lovin' You Today. Gretchen Wilson

Caribbean Itinerary

For those who are interested, and even for those who are not, here's what's happening next week. Be sure to enjoy all the lovely pictures I plan to put up in the header!

Sat - Helena - depart at 8:20 AM
Arrive Ft. Lauderdale/Miami around 6:00 PM
Sun - Miami - depart at 5:00 PM
Mon - At Sea
Tue - Belize City, Belize
Wed - Costa Maya, Mexico
Thu - Cozumel, Mexico
Fri - George Town, Grand Cayman
Sat - At Sea
Sun - Miami-8:30 AM
Arrive Helena 10:50 PM

You know I'll be thinking of all of you during this time. Really. I will.

Thanks again, y'all!

First things first. Thank you to all of you who had birthday wishes for me on your sites. There were a number of you that mentioned it, and I'm sure that I missed a few. And thanks to those who left me wishes in the comments. And a little more of a special thanks to those who sent me cards, ecards, phone calls, texts, emails (with or without "attachments"), gifts or promises of gifts in the near future. In alphabetical order: Aaron, Jessica, Kamey, Kirsten, Kristen, Leanne, Leela, Leesa, Liisa, Lindsey, Melanie, Mellissa, Michelle, Nicolle, Rachel, Sarah, Summer, Tammy and Vicki. Yes, I know that it's almost entirely women. Deal with it! My apologies if I missed anyone!

The weekend was pretty laid back for me. I had to put in about 3 hours at work Saturday morning, which wasn't too bad. I stopped by to see the parents and reminisce about my entry into the world, and my father's 50th birthday party, and how old he seemed at the time... Stayed home all night and surfed and talked on the phone for hours (not a normal thing for me to do, but I'm finding myself doing it more often). Thank God for free nights and weekends!

Sunday was a little more active. Went to church, then off to brunch with the whole family. Had to do a little work for the Symphony in the early afternoon, then picked up Rachel and went to the parent's place again for a birthday/Easter dinner. Usually the 2 BILs, the Nephew and I are relegated to the kiddie table, but since it was my birthday celebration, and brought company, I got to have dinner at the big table! Lots of food, beer, dessert and talk. And every one of us was ready to fall asleep by 7:00. Yeah, that's a little pathetic.

All in all, a pleasant weekend. Be ready for the next week, because I'm going to rub it in your face that I'M GOING TO THE CARIBBEAN IN 5 DAYS! Later.....

Amazing!

She can quote lines from "The Quiet Man"!!

WTF?!?!?

"He is not here: for he is risen..."
Matthew 28:6

Bring It On, Boys and Girls! It's My Birthday!!

LET THE PARTY BEGIN!
So yeah, it's my birthday. Tax Day. The 49th anniversary of the day of my birth. The beginning of my 50th year of existence. Born in the year of the cock (blush). At St. John's Hospital in Helena, MT. On a Monday. An Aries. Dad was 23 and a student. Probably smoking in the hospital waiting room. Mom was 21. Eisenhower was President. Elvis ruled the charts ("All Shook Up" was at #1). "I Love Lucy" ruled the airwaves. So bring it on, boys and girls! Let's party!

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I've gotten some presents over the past couple of weeks. Some for winning little contests on other blogs, and some for my birthday....

First off--here I am eating my cake that came in Friday's mail. Yes, it's that cupcake!

Here's most of what I've gotten recently.
Clockwise from the front left:
From Bekah: a flower in a can. You add water, it grows. It caught her eye because of its name, Gerbera, who is one of her regular visitors. I'll grow it and document. I won a contest.
From Brico: a Christmas mix CD for winning his sudoku contest.
From Melanie: my first birthday card of the year.
From Jessica: three different jars of Head Country BBQ sauce and a jar of seasoning.
Again, from Melanie: Schakolad Chocolates (a contest prize) and a Visa Gift Card for my birthday (won't tell you for how much, but it was totally unexpected!).
Again, from Jessica: the great t-shirt that everything is sitting on.
Thanks to all of you for the gifts!


Perhaps the most unexpected find in Friday's mail!

Apology...

Ever write a post, then publish it, then realize you probably shouldn't have? Well, I did a couple of days ago. And if I've ever done something that rates an apology, I generally step up to the plate and offer one. I belittled a popular fellow blogger (don't go looking--it's been taken down). I don't know him well enough, I don't know the situation well enough, and I had no right to do so.

I don't think many of you saw it, but that doesn't make it any better. Chad--I hope things work out well for you. I apologize for what I wrote.

Thanks, y'all!

Just about every HNT site I visited over the past two days had some sort birthday greeting for me. That was nice, and certainly appreciated! I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to comment on every site, but realize that I did notice!

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BTW--my birthday is actually TOMORROW, April 15th, in case you weren't aware!

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Surprisingly few comments left over at "...the Other HNT". If you haven't been there this week, you missed out on our first anonymous male! And other lovely participants! Go check it out if you haven't already (or even if you have)! If you want to submit an anonymous HNT, send it to hntanon@gmail.com

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As previously mentioned, my birthday is tomorrow. I have absolutely no plans for the day. Maybe getting my taxes done (nothing like waiting until the last minute). Maybe doing some cleaning. No party until Sunday, which will be a birthday/Easter thing. But when you're getting as old as me, big celebrations aren't necessary. Besides, I'M GOING TO THE CARIBBEAN IN A WEEK!! Plan on some info next week on all of that!

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Hope you all have a great weekend!

Birthday HNT

Be sure to check out the new blog, "...the Other HNT". There's a couple of special birthday pics and a nice Easter picture over there!

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So this is my pre-birthday HNT post. Others have posted pictures of themselves in their birthday suits on their birthday, and I'm not one to buck the trend. I tried to think of something profound to write for this last birthday before I hit the half-century mark. I'm not sure how profound I'll be. I started thinking of things that many of you might take for granted:

• When I was born, there was not a single man-made satellite in the sky.
  
• I have lived through 10 different presidents, 6 Popes, and 2 new States.
  
• I vividly remember the day President Kennedy was assassinated.
  
• I vividly remember the day Apollo 1 burned, killing its crew.
  
• I watched the first and last steps man set on the moon.
  
• I still have my first 8-track tape, and have a working player in storage.
  
• I remember my first Stingray bike.
  
• I actually lived during the 50s. Don't remember the 50s, but I was there!
  
• I remember the day we got our first color TV.
  
• I remember the summer days when my parents had no clue as to where I was, and that wasn't a bad thing.
  
• I remember gathering around the TV with my friends to watch "Dark Shadows".
  
• I remember my first set of Clackers.
  
• I still have the first 45 that my parents bought me ("Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"--Fifth Dimension)
  
• I remember seeing the first performance of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show.

I could continue, but you get the idea. All in all, it's been a decent 49 years. Not stellar, not exceptional, but not wasted away, either.

This entire month is kicking me in the butt, and then my computer problems compounded things, so I had to come up with something appropriate. These are pics from the first months of Os. No comments about the color please. Color prints tend to fade with time--I'm just glad they still exist! The first two are when I was about 2-3 months old. And there I am in my full nekkidness! Maybe I'll try to re-create that one some day! The one with my dad is when I was 6 months old (and he was 24!), and we were living in St. Louis while he was in dental school. Go Cards! And the last one is from my 2nd birthday. Please note the lovely drapes!!

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This week's Mystery Guest is a longtime HNT participant. I've had the pleasure of talking with her on the phone a few times, and she continues to rub it in about how she's been enjoying her springtime for the past month or so. In keeping with the "mystery" part of Mystery Guest, she's decided not to reveal her identity. This makes it difficult to write much more. If you think you know who she is, she'll probably tell you if you email her!

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Normally, I wouldn't bump the MG order to allow in a new photo, but I got a special request for this week's Mystery Guest spot because she wanted to do a birthday theme for me. How could I argue? She never told me exactly what was behind the bow, but told me to use my imagination. The little heart is a nice touch, too! To my special birthday MG, I thank you!

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We've got some early posters who won't be around tonight. Be sure to check out Boo (who actually waits until just after midnight in her part of the world!), Aughra (who's pregnant, tired, and goes to bed early), and EroticFae.

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Turn off your word verification for the day!

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What's Happened on My Birthday (April 15th)

Stolen from Leesa.

Go to Wikipedia. Type in your birth date (but not year).List three events that happened on your birthday. List two important births and one interesting death. Post this.

Three Events:
** 1955 - The first McDonald's restaurant opens in Des Plaines, Illinois.
** 1912 - The British passenger liner RMS Titanic sinks at about 2:20 a.m. after hitting an iceberg in the North Atlantic almost three hours earlier.
** 1865 - Abraham Lincoln dies after being shot the previous evening by John Wilkes Booth.

Two Births:
** 1452 - Leonardo da Vinci, Italian artist (d. 1519)
** 1966 - Samantha Fox, English singer and model

One Death:
** 2001 - Joey Ramone, American musician and singer (The Ramones) (b. 1951)

It's Alive!

Apparently, my computer skills are better than I thought! I didn't lose any files. My speed is significantly higher. And I got rid of whatever corrupt files I had (thank you, Windows Media). So I'll be able to take care of HNT tonight!

As a reminder--there's still time to submit a picture for the anonymous HNT site. Try to get those into me by the early afternoon so I can get them posted. You can find the email link on that site. Once again, as a reminder--the site is intended to be anonymous. If you think you know someone, keep it to yourself, or contact the person you think it is for confirmation!

I'll be taken out for a birthday dinner tonight by the charming, lovely, and always popular (all the boys like her) Rachel. We haven't done anything together for a long while, so it'll be nice. I know most of you are jealous. You should be!

BTW--in case you didn't know it, my birthday is this Saturday, April 15th!

Other stuff

It's been a busy 5 days. The concert in Great Falls with Itzhak Perlman was pretty good, but I didn't get the chills up the spine like the string players did. No question that he was flawless, but I think I had hoped for a little more interaction. I understand why there wasn't any, but still.... As for the pictures, I didn't really get anything decent. I had to take them from backstage, with the digital zoom, rather than optical zoom. Even at that, there was nothing spectacular to see from that angle. Video would have been another story, though...

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In Cahoots had two separate gigs this weekend. Saturday night we played a fundraiser for the local Humane Society. They're trying to build a new building (which is sorely needed). It was fun, but not a spectacular gig. On Sunday, we joined about a dozen other bands/acts in a local fundraiser called "Lost & Foundation". I've mentioned it in the past. It was started by musicians to raise money for local children who have suffered some sort of illness/injury and whose families are financially strapped. Over the years, we (all of us) have raised tens of thousands of dollars for various causes. We were the last band on stage tonight, meaning most of the crowd had already gone home, which is too bad. And the stage was cramped and we were out of our comfort element as far as sound equipment was concerned. I think we played pretty well, but it was fairly unsatisfying. That happens...

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Even with the success of "...the Other HNT", I'm still taking submissions for the Mystery Guest. I know that there's a couple of you that submitted awhile back, but it's the luck of the draw. I promise you'll get your chance!

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Speaking of "...the Other HNT", send in your anonymous pictures to: hntanon@gmail.com

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I've gotten some early birthday cards/wishes. Thanks to Melanie and Lori! Don't forget--my birthday is Saturday, April 15th! Last year at this time, my catchphrase was, "It's all about me..." I won't be so blatant this year, other than the constant reminders!

Leaving the Kids Without a Babysitter...

Ever go away for the weekend, and when you come home you find that your kids and the neighbor kids sort of made a mess of the place? That's what happened here yesterday. My pissy post was more of a chance to let people know what I've been getting in emails and chats. Little did I realize that all the kiddies would have free reign while I was gone today!

Though I don't want to stir the pot any further, I want to address a few things that some new commenters said (and btw--welcome to the newcomers. A couple of you were brought up with different standards than the kids around here, but you're still welcome anyway!).

• I've never come up with a domain for HNT, because I feel that having it hosted on individual sites is what makes it unique. One doesn't have to become a member, or pay for the privilege of HNT. And one doesn't have to contact a third party if they decide that they don't want their picture posted anymore.
  
• HNT is not "mine". I came up with an idea, pushed it into the internet, and it's grown on its own. It "belongs" to each person who participates as much as it "belongs" to me.
  
• The Guidelines are just that. They aren't rules. They aren't laws. But just as society allows its own sets of laws to evolve, I think that HNT has done the same thing. Has HNT changed from its inception? Obviously it has. Ulitmately, it doesn't matter what we, the viewers think. HNT is supposed to be a personal expression, expressed on our own sites, and the rest of us really have no say in the matter. The flip side to that is that one runs the risk of losing an audience if one's pictures are deemed "too much" by those viewing the site. Some people care about that, others don't.
  
• I don't bestow the HNT buttons on anyone. They are available to anyone who wants one. It would be nice to think that the only people who would want one would be participants.
  
• I appreciate one particular commenter's view that by allowing just anyone to have the button, it reflects back on me. I've never thought about that, but it doesn't bother me much. But I do appreciate the concern.
  
• I will never monitor HNT pics. No time, no interest. How can I justify telling a person what they can/can't post on their own site? It smacks of censorship (again, where is Frank Zappa when you need him?). However, consensus seems to point at using a NSFW warning, if necessary. I would leave that to everyone's own discretion.
  
• Undoubtedly, many pictures are downloaded from HNT sites (or anywhere else, for that matter). That doesn't make it right to post them on your own site without permission. That's just basic good manners. Those who don't understand that or openly flaunt it are probably the same sorts of people you'd want to avoid in real life.
  
• One of the things that is often mentioned with new HNTers is that there seems to be a great sense of family or community. Thanks to those who rose to the defense of HNT, and to me. It's appreciated! But realize that any "attacks" we had were from those who equally felt they had to defend "their" guy/girl. That's OK. Every one of us has a quirk or something that will piss someone else off for whatever reason. We can't please everyone all the time.
  
• Binsk--you told me the real reasons for your decision to go away for awhile. Long before these guys insinuated that you were cowering away. Take your time, babe, and recharge.

That's all. This discussion has run its course and it's time to move on. And because it's MY post, I opt to not allow comments on this one. Because I can...