It's Almost Father's Day.... Again

I miss my dad every day.

Every day I miss my dad.

World Cup Fevah

You know I gots it!

Ocean Punch

For My Little One's birthday back in March, I made a punch that fit into the mermaid theme we had for the party.  Before I forget the ingredients, I have to document the recipe.  It was pretty neato because the punch came out looking blue, sort of like the ocean.  Feel free to give it a try...

One 4-pack of blueberry Jones Pure Cane Soda
One 8 ounce can of frozen Minute Maid limeade
One 2-liter of any lemon-lime flavored soda

 Then I put some bath toys in it:  whale, fish, duck.

I wish I had a picture to show you but I didn't take any.

However, I did take this:

Mix Tapes

I was listening to Billy Squier's "My Kinda Lover" one morning last week on the way to work, kinda thrashing my hair around while belting out the chorus at the stop light in between taking glances in the tiny sunvisor mirror applying lipstick and mascara when The Captain called.

The Captain and I have been friends for over 20 years, and are the same age (he would remind you that I'm older than he is by about nine teenytinyweelittle months).  So, we are 80's Babies.

Now, I'm not the kind of girl who hangs on to 80's music.  Sure, I prance at Duran Duran but that's about it.  It's nails on a chalk board to me when Flock of Seagulls or Aha come on the radio.  I'm just so over "Blister in the Sun", "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Come On Eileen".  There are some stand-out classic bands such as Depeche Mode, Erasure, The Cure...DURAN DURAN!  But for the most part about 80's music, a resounding 'meh' from me.

Anyway, Billy Squier has a few good songs that fit a mood, such as (you guessed it) "My Kinda Lover".  And yes, I was in That Mood.

Captain:  What're you doin'?
Me:  Me and Billy are jammin'.
C: Billy?  Billy who?
M:  Billy Squier!
C:  uhhhh....you...realize you're dating yourself.  Right?
M:  Yeah.  *laughing*  But it rocks!  And it's perfect for my mood right now.

Thus was the genesis of Mix Tape Talk.

The Captain and I did the Old Person Thing:  reminisced.  I can't believe I'm old enough to 'reminisce about the good ole days', but alas, I am.  We goofed on each other about making tapes for babes (or workout music, or I'm feeling pissed at the world and these are the songs I need to hear, or wow, I'm really borderline suicidal so in order to push me over the edge, these tunes will seal the deal). 

Then I posed the question:  What do kids do NOW?  Do they even DO this kind of stuff anymore?  The equipment is totally different.  The media range is unlimited.  So we goofed about what today's equivalent might be until The Captain arrived at his meeting.  After giggling so hard I almost peed my pants and finishing up the final touches of my lipstick, I headed up to my office.

Since this conversation, I've been taking an informal survey.  Here is my über-important, society-changing, high-definition, freshly roasted, multi-platinum, organic, gluten-free verysoscientific finding:  Kids today don't make mix tapes. 

Brilliant, huh?  Think it's because they don't have to spend hours in their room loitering by the radio, one index finger on the 'record' button, one index finger on the 'play' button, waiting for the sliver of a second between when the DJ quits talking and The! Perfect! Song! starts?

Yeah, me too. 

I was relieved to know that the actual act of expressing love (or, at least, a big crush) towards another has not fizzled with the fizzling of the cassette tape.  The love's (or crush as it were...) still there, it's just expressed in the form of loading up an iPod, downloading iTunes and burning to a CD or some other wayfreakineasy way of accessing music.  There art of recording music from putting your tape player close to the turntable or radio is gone.  Gone are the days of passing an Act of Congress to edit commercials, overlaps of song, DJ voices out of the original tape onto a new tape with songs specially arranged.

Me? I was partial to Sony or Maxell. or the see-through kind (a.k.a. the kick-ass marketing that got the best of me).

What I could've done with one of these!  *dreamy sigh*  Ohhhh all you boys (ahem...young men) that I loved sosoSO much, you would STILL be listening to my mix tape TODAY!

In what seems to be a grass-roots green effort (maybe?) the cassette tape has other functions:

Lamps
Lamps
Skeletons (Hey, at least it's educational!)
Ummm...wallet
Home "decor"
Or the very ironic and seemingly conflicted iPod holder

*goes back to thrashing my hair around to My Kinda Lovah*

Stunning Song: Jewel's Satisified

Gawd...I wish I could sing well!  This kind of music, with words like these, just makes every nerve in my soul raw.

"Cuz if you did, hon, then you've lived some, and that feelin' inside...that's called satisfied"

~

"We were born to love."

Yep.  Good stuff.

~Whoosh!

P.S. It's even more amazing (as if that's possible) with just her and a guitar. I am not a fan of posting to Perez Hilton but I saw there's a good video of her singing it accompanied by a guitar.

Music Minute: LOVEDRUG

LOVE DRUG or LOVED RUG?  Anybody's guess, really.....

Theo's Adult sent me the MySpace link earlier this week in an email that contained the subject line "afternoon jam".  I immediately started searching for peanut butter hoping for a goodie-good snack, but I got something better (and healthier):  good music!

So far my favorite is "Pink Champagne".

Enjoy.  And thanks again, Theo's Adult!

My Thoughts on the BP Oil Well Leak a.k.a. Environmental Travesty

First of all, it's a massive leak NOT a spill! It's an out-of-control blown wellhead (insert sexual innuendo here).

Secondly, it's an international problem, impacting world economy NOT a Gulf of Mexico issue, or a Louisiana issue or an Alabama issue or a Florida issue or a Texas issue or any state issue.  It's a GLOBAL issue.

Thirdly, it's not "Obama's Katrina".  Katrina was a natural disaster that tragically impacted one key area of our world.  If one must equate the BP oil leak to something, equate it to "Bush's 9/11".  9/11 impacted world economy.  9/11 impacted lives around the globe.

Why isn't Obama DOING MORE?  He should be just as proactive and interventionist as Bush was during 9/11.  Is he afraid to be affiliated with Halliburton?  What is holding him back?  Who is in control of making decisions for actions taking place in this environmental travesty?

As you already know, I work for an oil and gas production company.  I don't beat my chest and pretend that I know everything about the industry.  I am not a petroleum engineer.  But common sense tells me - us - a thing or two, right?  Doesn't common sense tell us that this is an international problem?  Doesn't common sense suggest that the President and other international leaders from government and the private sector collaborate to take care of this ongoing problem? 

And I don't care if Halliburton and Transocean are players in the maintenance of the well, BP is the operator.  As operator, you own the majority of the well, pay revenue, pay the expenses, bill out the expense accordingly, market the product and ASSUME LIABILITY!  As operator, BP is responsible for overseeing all vendors.

Should be interesting to see where this goes, and it'll be tragic to see the ripple effect into the next generation.

Proper Gardening Attire

1 pair of purple (Made In China) Dora the Explorer gloves
1 pink cowboy boot
1 yellow rain boot
1 pom-pom partially pink ponytail (on top of your head)
1 heart-string necklace complete with faux amythests
1 hand-me-down flowy yellow with pinkishpurplish flowers dress
1 supersmile




Happy Gardening!

Litany of Humility

In April, I was gifted with the time of going on a women's retreat from Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon. It was ever healing, filled with God's Grace and Forgiveness. While there, I saw this prayer on a bookmark and wrote it down in my notebook.

In a way, when I take a cursory glance at the list, it burdens me. I am burdened knowing that I need to be delivered from some of these things even though I haven't ever thought until the moment I read this prayer that I desired any/all of these "unvirtues". I mean, aren't some of these things human nature? Aren't these various forms of validation and love (and EVERYONE needs validation and love!)?

I would contend there are some universal truths in the litany, it's wrong to desire to be esteemed, extolled, etc., especially at the expense of others. But is it wrong to want to be noticed. To be seen.  To be.

It didn't take long for me to realize that in some form or another, my ego gets the best of me, then I feel an onus. I am not burdened by the previously unnoticed desires, rather, I am burdened by them even though I've never called them by name.  (Does that even make sense?!)

This litany itemizes my "unvirtues", pulls me into their light and interrogates me. The fear-filled woman I was prior to prayer dissolves and I feel at rest, serene and fortified post-prayer.

This blessed litany itemizes that of which needs reconciliation, attention, contrition. It breathes and moves in ways that can be applied to all facets of my life in various degrees.

Possibly needless to say, I am praying it more often, and at the same time, I pray to be cognizant of that which I've unconsciously overseen and omitted -- and on the other end of the continuum -- that which I've kept on 'ignore' status.

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart,

Hear me.the desire of being esteemed,

Deliver me, Jesus.From the desire of being loved...

From the desire of being extolled ...

From the desire of being honored ...

From the desire of being praised ...

From the desire of being preferred to others...

From the desire of being consulted ...

From the desire of being approved ...

From the fear of being humiliated ...

From the fear of being despised...

From the fear of suffering rebukes ...

From the fear of being calumniated ...

From the fear of being forgotten ...

From the fear of being ridiculed ...

From the fear of being wronged ...

From the fear of being suspected ...

That others may be loved more than I,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I ...

That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease ...

That others may be chosen and I set aside ...

That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...

That others may be preferred to me in everything...

That others may become holier than I,provided that I may become as holy as I should.

Amen

Pinkie Pie Pony

I went on Saturday to get my hair done. My Little One did, too....by accident!  I swear!

My Little One wants to have black hair.  Yes.  Black!  The last two or three times we've been to the salon, she asks Our Stylist, "Do you have any black hair dye today?"  Our Stylist smiles, fumbles around in her drawer of many colors and shoots me some eyes, you know the ones.  "Ummmm, nope.  Looks like I used up my last tube yesterday, Little One."

Little One (in a whisper):  Mama.  Do you think she has blue?
Me (in a whisper and smiling):  I don't know, baby.  We could ask her.
Little One (not in a whisper & looking up at Our Stylist):  Do you have bluuuuue?
Our Stylist:  Noooo, but I have *opens up the magic drawer*  piiiinnnnkkkkk.
Little One (overjoyed):  That'd be fine!

So, Our Stylist picked out a chunk of golden blonde and worked the hot pink dye onto My Little One's hair.  It was one little chunk -- not all over.  Then My Little One sat under the hair dryer, reading her Katie Loves the Kittens book, drinking an Ozarka.

I take my place in the chair and ask, "so, does that wash out over a couple days or what?"
Stylist:  It'll last the summer at least.
Me:  hahahahahaha!  It's permanent!  Really??!!  hahahahaha
Stylist (laughing too):  Yes, but I can bleach it out no problem if you decide you don't like it.
Me:  I can't believe I didn't think to ask about that before now!  It'll be fine....this should be fun.  Should be a cute thing to do for the summer.  Oh, but My Eldest is going to be sooooo jealous!
Stylist:  Tell Your Eldest I will give her blue or teal, something darker that we can change more easily than that pink.
Me *nodding, still smiling, incredulous at my airheadedness):  Yeah...  Okay.  This is gonna be good.

So, taaa daaaaa!  You have to look pretty hard to really see it, but there's a faint pink tinge running through part of My Little One's hair.  She feels like a pony who has a multi colored mane like in My Little Pony, or more realistically, a mermaid (since that's her 'thing' right now).

And, yes, she IS wearing a Halloween shirt with a giant black cat with the word PURRRRSONALITY underscoring the cat.