Hodgey Podgey-isms

The above picture has nothing to do with the randomness of this post but doggone it...it is just a work of art, isnt it? Those of you who know the above 'gals' are going to be especially appreciative, I'm sure. Giggling all over yourselves are'nt ya?

Let's see...news and info.

-Christmas 'Eve', I went to a slumber party. Five girls and no kids . Two of us are temporarily visiting from their missionary status in Bolivia and Nicaragua respectively, one of us is an implant from Mexico who speaks endearing and dodgy english, and one of us has an unbelieving mate who was currently spending the holiday with family. Since we don't have all that much in common on a secular level, it was inevitable that 90% of the conversation would be spiritual in nature. The next morning, we were all feeling enormously upbuilt and unified.

-Movies have been very disappointing lately. I haven't seen anything 'new' to theaters but the stuff I've seen at home has been painfully ho-hum. Talladega Nights-The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, The Way We Were, and The Last Time I Saw Paris were all equally 'meh'. Oh well...I did put one new review on my 'movin pitchers' blog-'Murder on the Orient Express' deserved the full 'treatment', I felt. I'm really hankering to see the new Christopher Guest flick, 'For Your Consideration' that is only showing in limited release right now-I'm sure it's wonderful.

-New page on the Man Who Laughs blog (www.themanwholaughs.blogspot.com) really moves me. One of the best descriptions of a human being I've ever read. And you don't have to be following the story to 'get it'. Victor Hugo was a genius.

-Current read: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. I started it, saw the movie, and decided to finish it-in that order. The first 20 pages made me feel utterly inadequate as a housewife because they detail the inner workings of an english estate via the perfect butler. It's extremely intricate and even a little stressful to read. But after I saw the great movie, I decided to give it another try and now I'm loving it! Not finished yet...have you read this one, bookyeti?

-Is it wierd that I love Miami Ink so much? Yesterday was a marathon...a woman had a grilled cheese tatooed on her chest. It was a 'spiritual' grilled cheese with the face of the virgin Mary on it. Now, I definitely saw the likeness of a face on there but it's so funny to me that it had to be the Virgin Mary...haha. The original sandwhich sold for 20,000 dollars! So I guess the lady wanted to have it tatooed on her to 'keep it with her always'. I don't know. It looked more like Hilary Clinton to me.

-Some fun links for your amusement:
See wonderfully wierd 'art' that some might find a bit disturbing but still strikes me as funny and fascinating:
http://www.customcreaturetaxidermy.com/

Ogle the best web emporium out there for retro style accessories. I just love browsing this site:
http://www.go-kat-go.com/index.html

Wow, this is a great idea-Where is my digital camera when I need it?:
http://www.menwholooklikekennyrogers.com/gallery01.html

Ahhhh, the wonders of competition-worthy facial hair:
http://www.worldbeardchampionships.com/

The 'bedazzling' stylings of Leslie Hall-don't forget to treat yourself to her videos and inventive sweater names:
http://www.lesliehall.com/index8.html

The prettiest pictures on the web? Me thinks so...yuk yuk:
http://www.christianbale.net/home.htm

And last but not least, hey-I needed this reference on MY favorites so maybe now you can add them to yours! The guide to garment heiroglyphics:
http://www.apparelsearch.com/care_label_symbols.htm


See ya'll little lady...

Songwriters: Tanya Donelly

So this blog has been going for almost a year and I've kept up with it pretty faithfully. I've decided to take a leap and start adding a monthly 'feature', if you will. Since lyrics and songwriting are a big love of mine, I've decided to make the Singer Songwriter genre the subject of my prosey periodical.

The first songwriter (and flattered she should be...yuk yuk yuk) I've decided to showcase is the great great Tanya Donelly.

I first discovered Tanya Donelly when she was with the band Throwing Muses where she shared the songwriting, singing, and playing w/ childhood friend and stepsister, Kristin Hersh. Hersh is a phenomenal lyricist as well and will eventually find a place in this little mission, I'm sure. However, it's Donelly's songwriting that always sticks with me. The words to her songs are replete w/ great imagery and subtext, sometimes dark and sometimes comically light. Her poetic talents are always shown to their best advantage when coupled w/ the haunting musicianship that accompanies them-smooth and thick atmospheric melodies, most.

After Donelly left Throwing Muses in 1990, she contributed briefly to the This Mortal Coil album, 'Blood', and accompanied Kim Deal in the Breeders release, 'Pod', which was greatly influenced by her particular style. In 1991 she began the critically acclaimed group Belly whose two albums are both phenomenal pieces of work. 'Star' was a haunting and somewhat spooky concoction where 'King' offered a more folk-rock influenced collection . 'King' is my favorite and has easily made its way into by top 20 albums of all time. 'Feed the Tree' from the former album is probably their best known song though I feel it barely touches on the band's true talent or its frontwoman's gift.

Now Donelly is enjoying a successful solo career and all of her albums so far have been great and show no signs of her slowing . The album names are Love Songs for Underdogs, Beautysleep, Whiskey Tango Ghosts, and The Hungry Life-the last of which I am all a-twitter to hear because it's brand spankin new.

It's hard to describe what makes me so thrilled by Donelly's lyrical style. She has a babyish voice that is instantly appealing and somehow when it joins the distorted guitar and simple melodies with her poetry, there is just this magical thing that happens. I'm sure many feel I'm overstating it here but there it is. Listed below are a few examples of her lyrics...enjoy and remember to check her out...for pete's sake, check her out!

Sad Dress

from: 'Star'

Im so tipsy I cant seem to walk/And you take me firmly by the hand in the dark/ And those cheekbones of yours shine in the dark/ I swear they do.

Think about dixie/ she ducked when she ran/ Made up three bad reasons to stand by her man (he goes)./ Missed the vein once/ try, try again/ I swear I just went.

My my, your dress says so sad / You don't care, you just stole it somewhere./ Feel it. Fight it. Sleep inside it./ Your dress says so sad...so sad./ You don't care, you just stole it somewhere/ I'd chew my foot off to get out of this dress.

Judas My Heart

from: 'King'

Where I live, there's a blanket of gauze and it covers the scars/ of the drunks who are hungry as ever. /Where I live, there's a blanket of sighs and it covers the stars./ In my heart, I'm as hungry as ever./ This the room where we met.

Where I live, there's a lady/ who walks everywhere on her hands./ She don't trust where her feet want to take her./ Where I live, there's this lady who walks everywhere on her hands/ She don't trust where her feet want to take her./ This is the room where we met/ This is the dress I had on/ This is not the moment you fear when you wake up and no one is there...

Low hangs the moon/ inside this room/ Low hangs the moon/ inside this room/ so that I'm a witness/ when you Judas my heart.

Where I live there's a blanket of sighs and it covers the stars/ In my heart, I'm as hungry as ever. / Where I live, I'm afraid that I walk everywhere on my hands/ I don't trust where my feet want to take me.

This is the room where we met./ This is the dress I had on./ This is not the moment I fear/ (I say 'I' 'stead of 'she' now you're here)/ Low hangs the moon/ inside this room/ Low hangs the moon inside this room/ So that I'm a witness when you/ Judas my heart.

Can I get a witness when you Judas my heart again?

Goat Girl

from: 'Love Songs for Underdogs'

See my child my past/hoping yours is a blast/ I parked my heart in your driveway/ now I'm healing hell./ I wanted a lion but I ended up with a man/ who wanted a gazelle.

But...

I am a goat girl/ I am a goat girl/ I am a goat girl/ and I do my brutish best.

I am a goat girl/ I am a goat girl/ thinking goatish thoughts/ dreaming goatish dreams/pickin' up tin cans/ chewin' on your sleeve.

And I do my brutish best.

Green Door

from: 'Love Songs for Underdogs'

Look at him looking/ Everybody see how he looks at me/ Like to set me on fire,/ like to burn/ Like to set me on fire/ like to burn.

But, I'll always get out/ I'm not afraid / With these hips, these lips, these getaway sticks/ I've got it made./There's always a green door/ and green gets you out./ Green is sliding and driving and proteins colliding/ and it's your hipness, your fitness, your undying witness.

Leave the lock on my door/ I can find my own way home./ For tomorrow, I'm sure tomorrow, I'll find the green door. / Everyone out now. / It's just you and me/ and I warned you I warned you I warned you I warned you/ You look at me, like to set me on fire/ like to burn. / Like to set me on fire, like to burn./ But I'll always get out/ I'm not afraid./ I'll always get out.

I've got it made.

Tina's Survey Silliness...

Wow, one post a day is a bit excessive isnt it? I think I did TWO yesterday. Anyway, here's a fun and silly survey for everyone to copy and paste...

Name: Ashley
> Age: 31>
Hair Color: Light Brown, I think. It's been YEARS since I've seen it.
Eye Color: Cold Coffee, baby
Pet(s) & Their Name(s): New kitten-Albert and Beagle dog-Mrs Roper
Birthplace: Memphis-town
Nickname(s): Ashes, Ashil-Sashils, and 'Skinny'
Most Widespread Nickname: None are really that commonly used
Height: 5'6", I think
Mood Right Now: Sedate

~Favorites~
Color: Deep Peacock Blue (or some say Peacock Green)
Animal: Horsies
Number: 4
Gum: Big Red because it reminds me of my husband's kisses in the early days.
Sport: Weight-lifting and Aerobics to do but I love to watch Figure Skating
Season: Summertime
Candy: Dark Chocolate truffles
Song: 'In Your Eyes'-Peter Gabriel
Actor: James Stewart for-evah!
TV Show: Seinfeld is going down in the annals as the best show ever, for me anyway

~This or That~
Morning or Evening:Morning
Hugs or Kisses: Depends on who their from-I'm not a fan of kissing from anyone except my husband...LOL
Love or Money: Wuv
Movies or Music: Tough one...Movies, I guess
Big Crowds or Little Crowds: Little crowds if we must have one at all
Beach or Mountains: Mountains
Six Flags or Carowinds: Six Flags but I'd rather have Disneyworld!
Percussion or Strings: Strings-guitar strings, that is
Skateboard or Skooter: Skateboards are great but not for me...Skooter, I guess
Heels or Sneakers: Heels, all the way baby! I wear them 90% of the time.
Black or White:Black
Red or Green: Red
Skittles or M&Ms: M& M's
Sun or Moon: Sun
Water or Fire: Water

~Have You Ever~
Danced in the Rain: Yes, I believe so
Honked a Car Horn at Strangers: Yes when I was a teen it was my favorite thing to do...'Excuse me, are those Bugle Boy Jeans you're wearing? Eeee Gad.
Done Something You Regret: Of course, that's a stupid question
Cried in a Full Theater: Yes
Done Drugs: No
Smiled for No Reason: There is always a reason...I agree Tina.
Thought About Something and Laughed Really Loud: Yes.
Done Something Stupid in Front of Your Crush: I remember that ...yeah.
Said Something No One Else Got:I'm the queen of this particular point
Acted/Sang on Stage: I was in a drama when I was 12 and I do Karaoke often
Talked in Front of a Large Group (EXcluding Oral Reports): Talks at the KH
Had a Cavity: Lordy, yes. I have some right now.
Said Something That Others Took Wrong: Once again, I am the Queen
Been Told to Get Your Mind Out of the Gutter: yes but I was usually clueless as to why
Been in Love: Yeah, still am (sigh)
Fallen Down in Public: Yes.
Been Stupid in Front of a Lot of People: Its my forte
Done Something Someone Said You Could Never Do: Yep-challenges motivate me

~Do You~
Sing Well: I don't know about 'well' but I love it
Dance Well: No, but I do it anyway.
Embarrassed Easily: Yes
Consider Yourself a Morning Person:Yep
Take Walks in the Rain: yeah, I like it
Keep Your Promises: Yes, and I try not to make them if there's any chance I can't
Like to Talk: Yes very much because you see I'm quite talktaive and being talkative is kind of a protection because alot of people don't talk very much so if I talk alot then I know that at least SOMEONE is talking and that in itself is comforting because you know how alot of people just SIT there when there's a large group, I just can't do that...oops.
Speak Your Mind: Eventually...sometimes too late
Trust Others Easily: I've been told that I'm entirely too trusting

~Movies & Music~
Best Movie You've Seen in Theaters Lately: The Prestige-LOVED it
Saddest Movie: Dead Poets Society still really gets me but the movie JUDE is the be all end all of sad movies...I don't recommend it to parents

Cutest Movie: I also think it's wonderful but I guess You Can't Take It With You could also qualify as 'cute'...though it kind of sounds sacreligious

Movie You Find Yourself Quoting: O Brother Where Art Thou is heavily quoted in our house, by kids and parents alike

Ever Made Movies With Your Friends: Just vacation videos...not movies

Radio Station You Listen to Most:Jack Fm when I listen to the radio..

Song Currently Stuck in Your Head: 'Get Ready To Wiggle' is on Tv and tends to stick w/ me for a while

Stupidest Song You've Heard Lately: I don't think anything is ever going to out-stupid Honky Tonk Badonk adonk...it reigns supreme

Song You Hear Most on the Radio: JackFm doesnt play new music that much...they really like 'We're Not Gonna Take It' by Twisted Sister

Would You EVER Skydive: No.

Do You Think There's Gold on the Other End of a Rainbow? Probably somebody over there is wearing some

What CD Have You Listened to Most Lately? Clutch-Robot Hive Exodus, Open Hand, a self-made compilation cd of songs from the 40's and 50's,

Have you everr Held a Snake or Tarantula? Both.

Do You Like Scary Movies? yes, I do
What's Your Pet Peeve? People who don't use child safety seats

Do You Have a Type A Personality? Yes

What Would YOU Do for a Klondike Bar? Walk to the freezer, I guess. I find them not that good

What's the One Thing You Would Bring With You to a Deserted Island? The NWT

Ever Been Tubing? Yes

Drove a Jetski? Yes, briefly

Do You Believe in Love at First Sight? No, but I strongly believe in attraction at first sight.

Introvert or Extrovert? Extrovert

Do You Like Big Crowds?I don't mind them but I'd prefer a small group...like four people

What's Your Favorite Quote from a Friend? To the tune of John Denver's 'Country Road': 'Breast Virginia...Like your mountains mama'-and I'm not saying who it's from

What Word Do You Use Too Much? 'Brilliant'. I think it's a brilliant word

Can You Sing Your ABC\'s Backward\'s? I could if I felt like concentrating that hard.

What\'s the Latest You\'ve Ever Stayed Up? All night...I'm a mom, after all

Have You Ever Been Betrayed? Yeah, stupid Eve and her fruit craving

What\'s Your Greatest Strength(s)? I'm very 'changeable' and can adapt to almost any situation

Weakness(es)? I've been told I'm too willing to believe and trust

Do You Laugh a Lot? Yes.

Are You a Leader or a Follower? A follower that somehow gets stuck leading alot of the time

Do You WANT to Be Like Everyone Else? No, actually-'I wanna bee like YOU-ooo-ooo...I wanna walk like you/ talk like you tooo ooo oo '

What\'s the Compliment You Receive Most? I get compliments on my paint colors in my house

Do You March to the Beat of Your OWN Drummer? Yes, but it would be easier if he were talented.

Can You Talk Extremely Fast? Sho Nuff


~Last Words~
What Are Your Last Words?

'Once I knew a gnu who had a nose for news. A nose for news no newsman ever knew. But now he's dead and though I know another nosey gnu, I'll never know a gnu who knew the news that that gnu knew.'

Yeah, I think that says it all

Cacaphonic Cats

Okay, I just wanted to use the word 'cacaphonic' in a sentence...heh heh.

This weekend saw the addition of a new member to our pet family-Albert, the barking kitten. Those of you who have read my childrens story (that I'm still looking to publish) know how funny this is.

My son had a kitten earlier this year named Marty and he was precious and funny and just a great kitty! He was a long haired gray tabby that my beagle dog just loved but alas, he ran away. We went to Memphis in June and when we came back a week later, Mrs Roper was alone on the porch w/ her head cocked in that curious way of hers. 'Where is Marty?' she seemed to ask. And we haven't seen him since.

My little boy was not 'devastated' but he was sad and we've been looking for a new feline friend ever since. I finally resorted about a month ago to putting a little note on the local grocery store window w/ a drawing of a kitty and the message: 'My little boy wants a kitten, preferably a black one. Do you have one? Please call-----.' I forgot all about the note until Saturday when I got a call from a gravely voiced lady saying 'Do you still need a kitty for your little boy?' So, I piled the kids in the car and went to the gravely-voiced lady's house for our new pet. Johnson had no idea what we were doing and he was delighted when I brought the little sooty ball of fluff out to the car. He was wearing a red and green ribbon around his neck -courtesy gravely-voiced lady and kin- and soooo pretty. The best thing is, he's got some kind of funny condition where his meows are hoarse, short, croaky little squeaks that sound very similar to a whining dog! Albert for sure.

Unfortunately, we've had kind of a rough weekend w/ Albert. We're keeping him in the basement so that he can eventually help move out the mouse population down there but Johnson brings him up to the yard to play also. Well, yesterday I looked out of the window and Mrs Roper had taken the kitten in her mouth and was slinging him around like some type of old sock! I ran outside and grabbed the dog by her neck, forcing her to spit out the kitten! The poor slimy kitten was lying on the ground in turmoil, groaning and seeming almost dead. After giving Mrs Roper a well deserved beating (which made little impact I'm sure), I tried to pick up Albert and carry him inside to assess damages. I received two very deep bites on my hand but eventually I was able to carry him to the bathroom and rinse him off, thankfully finding that he was just fine...no blood or anything. I wrapped him in a towel and held him until he stopped trembling and now he seems 'over it'.

The dog obviously does NOT like this cat and that could present a problem. She was trying to kill it and that disturbed me so badly because Johnson and Nathan were there watching and crying. But hopefully, they will eventually get used to each other. I suppose baby steps are in order.

In addition to our funny cat situation, Nathan has developed a new 'expression' that puzzles me no end! Whenever he wants something, he now says 'Two-A' repeatedly. We have no idea what that means and have examined every possibility from battleship to bingo. Maybe when he grows up, he'll be able to clue us in.

'Two-A'.

PINUP #4

Someday I'll get a scanner and my girls won't look like distorted paper dolls.

Santa's Little Yelpers

My feelings exactly. Heh heh heh heh.

Out of the mouths of babes: My son says to me this morning in that no nonsense thoughtful tone of his : 'mommy, why do people give gifts to each other on Jesus' birthday?' Very good question m'dear.

Aye Christmas...how I dislike thee.

Isnt it strange that when people ask you why you don't celebrate they don't REALLY want to know the reason? When you try to explain your feelings about the pagan origins and such, I've found that most people suddenly have a million other things to do. Recently I tried to condense the explanation when someone asked it of me by saying: 'Have you ever looked up the history of christmas and its traditions in the encyclopedia?' The response ? 'Oh, I don't have time for that stuff....'

And so it goes...

PINUP #3

So here she is. I posted the close-up because the neck looks a little thick in the long shot....the closeup shows the perspective a little better. The hand is also hilariously stumpy. There was a crazy optical illusion in the photo that made her hand look that way but I should have tapered the fingers more on my own instead of trying to be faithful to the photograph. Anyway, I'm getting bored w/ black and white...I'm searching for a medium that I like for color. Oils are amazing but not as conducive to latenight spontaneity so I need something else-maybe oil crayons or markers? I'll figure it out on my next trip to Michaels, I guess.

I do like the feet and legs in this one though...and it's my first car!

'GET BEHIND ME, STREPTOCOCCUS!'

Noun
1.
strep throat - an infection of the oral pharynx and tonsils by streptococcus


Friday's doctor visit confirmed it. I am suffering from strep throat for the THIRD time this year. Even the doctor called it 'excessive' and tells me I may have to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist for a second opinion that could result in the removal of my tonsils! But I don't wanna remove them...they're mine! I've had them my whole life...sniff.

The wierd thing is, I've never had strep prior to this year. In 2000, prior to my first son's birth, I tested positive when the doctor did the mandatory strep test and therefore I had to stay an extra night in the hospital while they tested him and such. In 2004, when I was pregnant w/ Nathan, I didnt test positive so...go figure. It is also possible the husband is giving it to me via his yummy kisses but I am not going to be believing that for now.

So here I am kicking with fever, shaking and shivering and cursing, unable to eat or drink, miserably downing my antibiotics...and getting used to it? There's something wrong w/ this picture!

Pinup #2

So here is number 2. It was a very limited picture so I over-embellished it because I was having fun w/ my sharpie...LOL. Also, my scanner is on the blink so the picture is a bit dark because I had to take a digital photo in order to post it.

More ArT...LowBrOw and otherwise...

I thought I'd also devote a post to a couple of great artists that get little recognition since I guess they could be said to belong to the 'lowbrow' art world and only make an appearance here and there.

Above, is a piece by Casey Weldon whom I met at the Rockabilly Rod Reunion in Las Vegas. He had a booth set up and I loved his art/humor so much that I bought two of his prints right on the spot. I bought this one because I knew that Johnson would love it and it speaks to my heart as well...it's called 'At-At the Park'. His web address is http://www.caseyweldon.com/home/paintings.htm











And this is one of the BEAUTIFUL creations of Amy Sol, with whom I am currently most enamoured. Her paintings are all in muted tones on natural grain wood and they are all like a childhood dream. The grain of the wood shows through so perfectly on every piece and somehow always fits the flow and story she is telling. Soooo lovely.
Her fantastic website is www.amysol.com and there is a link to her blog so that you can see her new work as she creates it.

The Art of the Pinup

Ahhh, the art of the pinup. I'd thought I'd devote just a bit of blog-dom to my favorite pinup artists and what is currently serving as my inspiration and the catalyst for my present 'activity' in the world of charcoals, oils, and such.

The nurse is by the great Gil Elvgren. Painting is titled 'Now Don't Ask Me What's Cookin' from 1948



The blonde in the white dress is by Earl Moran. It wasnt accompanied by the customary title and date









'Time to Get Up!' by Peter Dribben 1950








Alberto Vargas, December 1943 (?)









Edward Runci, 'Put Up Job' 1948 (Runci is my favorite. I think it's his 'disney-esque' faces. I also love the sunkissed skin of his happy ladies and the fact that they are doing wallpaper jobs in heels!)









And finally, here's a lovely lady by George Petty, year unknown. Besides Vargas, he is probably the most famous of the cheesecake artists.


Aren't they precious?

Pinup #1

And so I've decided to try my hand at pinup art. I'm shooting for a crazy hodgepodge of realism, cartoonism, and illustration art. My favorite pin up artist was Edward Runci and I adore the Disney-esque-ness of the faces on his girls.

The picture to the left is the first in what is hopefully a long line of gals. However, let me say first that I completely aware that it...well...sucks. The medium was entirely wrong for my subject and my style. Watercolor pencils are great for some things but I'm not too thrilled with them for this. I think it's because I feel a little limited in my ability to fine tune and add depth thru use of layers. I prefer plain ol' pencils or oils for this project, I believe.

So why did I post it? I think it's because I'd like to take you guys along w/ me on my journey. I've made the brash decision to post every finished piece on this page whatever the final results. I'd like to eventually be satisfied with something that I do.

I can say I am pretty happy with the extra 15-20 pounds I added to the model, however. She was a stick!

'Tear It Down!'

Saturday night we saw Old Crow Medicine Show for the first time. It was feee-nom-en-al! Maybe it was the great venue of The New Daisy Theater on Beale (one of my favorite places to see live music...I've seen everything there from Leo Khotke to KMFDM to Clutch to Sarah Mclachlan and it's always great) or maybe it was just the fact that these guys are so incredibly talented, but I'll venture to say it was one of the best live shows I've ever seen. The music is 'old timey', as I've said before, and I guess the best way to describe it would be to just suggest that you watch O Brother Where Art Thou and if you like the music, you'll love Old Crow. They have such a full, rich sound and all four of the singers have great voices that blend perfectly together when they harmonize.

They performed just about everything I would have wished except the great little Ballad 'Caroline' that my two year old likes so much. But I'm more than happy to catch them again to make up for it! Their stage presence is really exciting as well since they jibe off of each other and the audience alike. My favorite tracks they did Saturday night were probably a little ditty called 'Let it Alone' and of course, their wonderful rendition of Bob Dylan's Wagon Wheel. They also did some AMAZING instrumental pieces that made wish for the first time that I knew how to do some buckdancing! And how can I forget that great cover of Alabama's Dixieland Delight which made the original seem pale in comparison??

As far as the audience goes, I don't think I've ever seen memphis so gracious to a band before. The audience was WILD with appreciation and by Sunday morning I had NO voice left due to the screaming of the night before. The New Daisy was packed by the time the band began and between each song the applause was uproarious. Old Crow really seemed to appreciate it and repeatedly thanked us for being 'a great audience' and making the last night of their North American tour so memorable.

Since the boys live in Nashville, they will be performing at home in December and I'm sure I'll do all I can to be there. I hope any of you who can will do the same!

'If this gal had money, she'd go broke...'

Oh dear me. I just found the greatest site in the WORLD for my love of retro reproduction duds. This is me. This style is everything I want out of being a woman...grace, glamour, and class.

The site is www.whirlingturban.com and it is a doozy. The company consists of a group of ladies (and gents?) that construct clothing using actual vintage patterns from the forties and fifties. They have a variety of wonderful fabrics that are in keeping w/ the era and styles that were popular as well. The dress above is a reproduction of the Dream Shaheen dress that was popular in the mid fifties. It flatters just about any shape and beneath the bolero is a beautifully tailored halter strap that can be removed. The best thing is, they don't do 'sizes'. You send them your measurements and they custom fit your dress to your body. I have already sent for the info on the Shaheen dress w/ a bolero jacket because it's just darling.

How much? That's the biggie isnt it? The truth is, I recently got an email from the company and almost every dress is available for under 200.00! More than a JC Penny frock but definitely less than any seamstress in this country would charge you for the same work. I am inlove!

Aye Me.

'Chug Along-Chug Along--Chuggin' Right To Your Door!'

Yes, that's right Memphis. Old Crow Medicine Show is 'chuggin' right to your door' on November the 18th at the New Daisy Theater.

Do yourself a favor and git you there! Tickets are a measley 18.00. How can you go wrong?

See you locals there! And if we 'not-so-locals' can get to the show so can you!

Weeeehooooo!


take a lissen: http://www.badongo.net/file/1712603

To Ava's Mamma:

Heather,
I found this polaroid this morning and was dying to find an excuse to use it somewhere. Since Ava is new to the world, I thought it was a perfect opportunity!

Congratulations to you all! Here's hoping that this picture is amusing enough to relieve some of your post-baby ails!

Love and kisses
Me

The Often Overlooked Genius of Robbie Williams

So, am I a Robbie Williams fan? The answer is an unabashed yes! I first heard of him in the band Take That and the only thing I knew about him is that when the band was interviewed, he kind of stole the show. It's not that he is necessarily charming but his personality is so over the top that it's irresistable. His constant hilarious tongue-in-cheek stabs at fame are my favorite. If you've seen his two episodes of 'MTV Cribs', you know what I mean.

Musically, I really like his brand of 'british pop'. The first album I heard, The Ego Has Landed had a few really great tracks like Angel, Mellenium, and Let Me Entertain You-the latter two of which each had excellent videos. When I saw his much touted and controversial video to Rock DJ, in which he performs a disgustingly brilliant (and hysterically funny) striptease, I was a fan. The 2nd album, Sing While You're Winning was also a worthy pop contribution to his catalogue. But it was the 2001 release, Swing When You're Winning (which I recently extricated from my basement-thus the belated review), that really impressed me with his talent.

Swing While You're Winning is an album that consists principally of big band era classics that Williams has given his own style and sarcasm. The first track, "I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen' impresses on the listener not only his egotistical sense of humor but his abiding love for showbiz that can't help but shine through. It is the only 'pop'song on the album. The rest of songs alternate between solo reworkings of classic songs that may not have necessarily been of the swing era ('Mr Bojangles'), big band classics ('Ain't That a Kick in the Head'), and duets with some of Hollywood's biggest stars. A much publicized duet with Nicole Kidman (Frank and Nancy Sinatra's hit, 'Something Stupid') is actually one of the weaker songs of the album but duets with Rupert Everett, Jane Horrocks, Jon Lovitz, and especially rock-opera star Jonathan Wilkes are all immensely entertaining and skillfully delivered. 'Me and My Shadow' with Wilkes is probably my very favorite version of the song that I've heard. In addition, Williams adds something wonderful to Bobby Darin classics 'Mack the Knife' and 'Beyond the Sea'(featured at the end of Finding Nemo). The great 'Have You Met Miss Jones' from Bridget Jones Diary also makes an appearance on the album, the song which, I believe, served as the starting point for this endeavor.

Make no mistake, I LOVE this album! I have listened to it countless times since I got it and still get just as much enjoyment now. Little bits of dialogue captured in the recordings between he and his 'friends' make you feel as if you are present at a great party instead of just listening to a song. Though I haven't kept up faithfully with Williams's recent work, I feel that he will be around for a long time to come.

Vegas Pictures

Here are just a few of our pictures.

This was a poster for the Bodies exhibit at The Tropicana. Yes, it's a real human. We didnt get to see it but we will next time.





At every tourist destination, you will find gag gifts like this one-he blows bubbles from his rear...yuk yuk yuk.








Below: one of the Bally's Jubilee girls














Our View from our room-night was better

The stratosphere view from observation deck.







Me and some famous faces









Flip flopped feet-ahhhh sweet relief











The ceiling of the Venetian-or part of it anyway.










He was smiling at me!











How do I love thee, Gregory? Lemme count the ways: Number 1, Number 2...

'Holiday Road..."

Ahhh Vegas. Here I am nursing my sore feet ( I've never walked so much in my LIFE! It puts Disneyworld in the dust, believe me.) and attempting to put into words the amazing time that I had for my first 'free' days in years.

My mom and stepfather agreed to keep the kids for us, so they came in Thursday night and Friday we left around 11am so

we could make our 3pm flight w/ no trouble. The flight was smooth as it could be and the view of the Grand Canyon was remarkable-I've never seen it before. We arrived around 5:45 LV time( good ol' Pacific Time Zone) and after getting seperated briefly at the airport, made it to Bally's by 7pm. Bally's is a super-nice hotel, on the four star borderline, that is absolutely monstrous in size and pretty in a vegas-y kind of way. I'd read on trip advisor that I must ask for a north tower room since these are all remodelled and truly, they were much better than I expected. We got a room on the 23rd floor (great view!) and it was really big w/ an all granite-tiled bathroom that was very cold on the feet-but looked nice. The following is the basic gist and highlights of our stay:

Friday night-Dinner and Bottled Kirin Ichiban at Ichiban Sushi in the Bally's shopping mall. It was a typical 'shopping mall' restaurant w/ very little privacy and slightly better than average sushi (albeit loosely rolled). Afterwards, we explored Bellagio and Caesar's Palace. Caesars was my favorite of all the hotels I saw while I was there...sooo pretty.

Sat-we rented a car (Jeep Laredo, not to bad) and drove to the Las Vegas Speedway for the event we had planned this trip around, The Rockabilly Rod Reunion. Unfortunately, the weather was not so enjoyable. It was about 65 degrees with a crazy wind. The show was great though, replete as it was w/ beautiful gals, gorgeous cars, and good good music. Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats was there as were another great band called The Southerners that I had never heard before. The wind really wreaked havoc on the whole day but it was still an amazing time. We had planned to go see Big Bad Voodoo Daddy that night but my dogs were BARKIN' by then and the idea of cuttin' a rug was a little ludicrous. We went back to the hotel to change and then went to The Alladin for a burger and a yummy Hawaiian Brew. Their shopping was pretty good too. Incidentally, driving in Vegas wasnt bad at all...even during heavy traffic, it seemed to flow nicely.

Sun-was my spa day. I had a nine o'clock appointment and may I just say...ahhhh. I got a foot and leg massage (sorely needed-no pun intended) and spent some time in the hot tub and steam room before i headed over to the 'prep' area to make use of their styling products and cosmetics. It was so nice to have that option. I didnt have to do anything but change once I got back to my room. The rest of the day included a visit w/ the Mirage Dolphins and Tigers, lunch at Caribe Cafe (the BEST Cobb Salad ever!), another quick car show at the Hard Rock, and some 9.00 coctails by the pool. For dinner, we ate at Tao, a eastern themed restaurant at The Venetian. Amazing food and another yummy Kirin later, we headed downtown where I was quickly compelled to purchase some 5.00 flipflops to replace my heels. Downtown was smoky, cramped, and a little depressing. The Freemont Street Experience was a bit overrated as well. But it was very bright and shiny...so, ok.

Mon-We had lunch reservations at Emeril's Fish House in the MGM. I loved the MGM hotel and all its hollywood memorabilia. Even the toilet stalls were decked out w/ famous faces. I purposely chose a toilet where a young Gregory Peck could overlook my business...heh heh. Emeril's was beyond good...beyond great...the lobster bisque was the stuff of dreams. And that caramel creme brulee? Dear Lord. Next, it was time for the Manhattan Express, a crazy rollercoaster that envelopes the New York New York Hotel. Very fun, fast, and a little rough. Luckily, it did me some good because I got a good neck adjustment that left me all loosey goosey. That night, we went to the Stratosphere to experience the view and (gulp!) one of those rides. We chose the Big Shot because it seemed the most thrilling and it didnt actually HANG OFF the edge of the building. It was one of the most exhilarating things I've ever done and I honestly feel like I've conquered my fear of heights! The view was beyond description.

Tuesday was departure day and after our one and only buffet, La Village Buffet at The Paris (another GREAT hotel and attatched to Bally's so very convenient), we were ready for another smooth flight home in the midst of which I completed three crossword puzzles!

Whew. That was long winded. I'll see if I can find some good pictures to post in seperate entries . I'll conclude by saying that Vegas is one of my new favorite places-and we don't even gamble. Some of the typical things I was led to expect such as scads of drunkards and public mayhem were completely false. The flyers for hookers and scantily clad showgirls were there but not as 'in your face'as I expected. It was an adult vacation but also a peaceful one.

"That's so money, baby "

Bright light city gonna set my soul
Gonna set my soul on fire
Got a whole lot of money thats ready to burn,
So get those stakes up higher
Theres a thousand pretty women waitin out there
And theyre all livin devil may care
And Im just the devil with love to spare
Viva las vegas, viva las vegas