WITNESSES: BRITNEY'S BABY JUMPED


MALIBU (CAP) - Witnesses are now coming forward to dispute earlier statements that Britney Spears' baby fell out of his highchair. Contrary to DSS reports, they say Sean Preston actually jumped out of the highchair in a desperate escape attempt.

"SP just got this wild look in his eyes as soon as [father] Kevin put on his new demo tape," said family male nurse Lance Bass. "It was like he could see the future - and then he just jumped."

Attempts to reach Britney Spears for comment resulted in speeds in excess of 100mph. However, hubby Kevin Federline released a statement to the press from the 9th hole tee at the Malibu Country Club.

"Yo yo yo, Brits didn't drop the baby, but my disc drops June 13th," Federline said as he sliced his drive into the woods. "The joint is called 'Spears-Chucka'. Check it out, yo. Word. Peace."

Hospital documentation obtained by CAP News under false pretenses show that Sean Preston also attempted to jam a knitting needle into his ears several weeks ago, but was not seriously injured. Follow-up test results indicate the baby is still smarter than his parents despite the skull fracture.

LC HAMMER MEETS AUNT KATHY

This email was in my inbox this evening from my Aunt Kathy in North Carolina. With the recent chatter about MC/LC Hammer, I felt a strange compulsion to pass it along, as it puts all of us one degree closer to him in the game of Six Degrees...

Hey there,
The writer of this story is a lucky girl. I met MC Hammer. Yes, folks, I met and talked to the rapper, MC Hammer and his protege and his BBBIIGGGG body guard. Susan and I met him Saturday at the NASCAR BUSCH race in the Nascar suite [Susan is my cousin, roughly a year older than I]. He may know alot about making money, losing money and making music and more money, but he knows nothing about race car driving. So, being the nice ladies that we are, we started telling him about the racing business. He wanted to know which driver does the back flip. We told him it was Carl Edwards, so that was the driver he rooted for. We told about the rules of pit road, and passing, and caution lights, etc. And if you are wondering if he was wearing his baggy parachute pants, the answer is no; he wore a Nike running suit. However, he came wearing his sunglasses. I think that was so he would not be recognized.

Anyway, Susan had her picture taken with him, uh, I took it with her camera. I asked for his autograph on my ticket. I told him it was not for me, but I wanted to give it to our local Red Cross so they could have it as part of a Nascar package later this year. He had no objection and signed my ticket, front and back. At the end of the evening, we were all laughing, but for some reason he didn't ask for our names. Why not? Could it be he may have thought we were too pushy or we might have asked for more from him--of course not!

Anyway, just wanted to spread my good news. I not only race car drivers in my life, now I have has-been rappers. Aren't you so proud of me?

Love you,
Kathy

INSIDE THE ACTOR'S STUDIO

I don't know if I've ever told you all this before, but ITAS is one of my three favorite shows on tv. By that, I mean that it's one of my mainstays. Other shows may come and go, but this one - it's sticks. And if you know the show, you know that James Lipton ends the show by asking his guests a series of ten questions. Here they are...I look forward to reading your answers...

What is your favorite word?
What is your least favorite word?
What turns you on?
What turns you off?
What is your favorite curse word?
What sound or noise do you love?
What sound or noise do you hate?
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
What profession would you not like to do?
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

AND THE YEAR IS 1996...

I saw this on a friend's blog today. You go to Music Outfitter's site, type in the year you graduated into the search box, and it will pull up the top 100 songs for that year. (Good grief! My friend did this with all 100 songs. I know that I have a lot of time on my hands, so imagine what he has! I only did 50!) Strike out the ones you didn't like, bold the ones you did, ?? the ones you just don't remember. Seriously, some of these songs, I just think, "Huh? I don't remember that at all." You just wouldn't believe that in the Top 100 - there's actually a Color Me Badd song. Is that possible??

1. Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix), Los Del Rio
2. One Sweet Day, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men
3. Because You Loved Me, Celine Dion
4. Nobody Knows, Tony Rich Project
5. Always Be My Baby, Mariah Carey
6. Give Me One Reason, Tracy Chapman
7. Tha Crossroads, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
8. I Love You Always Forever, Donna Lewis
9. You're Makin' Me High / Let It Flow, Toni Braxton ( I love Toni Braxton )
?? 10. Twisted, Keith Sweat (I don't remember this song)
11. C'mon N' Ride It (The Train), Quad City Dj's (this song was crazy)
12. Missing, Everything But The Girl (I know it's practically blasphemy, but I hated this song)
13. Ironic, Alanis Morissette (I loved AM)
14. Exhale (Shoop Shoop), Whitney Houston
15. Follow You Down / Til I Hear It From You, Gin Blossoms
16. Sittin' Up In My Room, Brandy
?? 17. How Do U Want It / California Love, 2Pac
18. It's All Coming Back To Me Now, Celine Dion
19. Change The World, Eric Clapton
?? 20. Hey Lover, LL Cool J
?? 21. Loungin, LL Cool J
22. Insensitive, Jann Arden
?? 23. Be My Lover, La Bouche
24. Name, Goo Goo Dolls
25. Who Will Save Your Soul, Jewel
26. Where Do You Go, No Mercy (yeah, pretty much no chance that was making the cut)
27. I Can't Sleep Baby (If I), R. Kelly
?? 28. Counting Blue Cars, Dishwalla
29. You Learn / You Oughta Know, Alanis Morissette
30. One Of Us, Joan Osborne
31. Wonder, Natalie Merchant (not my favorite, but I didn't hate it enough to cross it off, either)
?? 32. Not Gon' Cry, Mary J. Blige (I really like her, too, though I don't remember this song really.)
33. Gangsta's Paradise, Coolio (um...)
34. Only You, 112 Featuring The Notorious B.I.G. (nice beat)
35. Down Low (Nobody Has To Know), R. Kelly (why does he have to be HIM).
36. You're The One, SWV (haha...take this song with #35, kind of funny)
37. Sweet Dreams, La Bouche (nope)
38. Before You Walk Out Of My Life, Monica (did anyone ever see that movie on MTV, "Love Song?")
39. Breakfast At Tiffany's, Deep Blue Something
40. 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New), Coolio (um...who didn't love this? I don't remember the words, but I remember crankin' it up.)
41. The World I Know, Collective Soul
42. No Diggity, BLACKstreet (Featuring Dr. Dre)
43. Anything, 3t (hahaha... sappy boy music)
44. 1979, The Smashing Pumpkins
45. Diggin' On You, TLC (What a shame that these ladies couldn't keep their stuff together)
?? 46. Why I Love You So Much / Ain't Nobody, Monica
?? 47. Kissin' You, Total
48. Count On Me, Whitney Houston and Cece Winans (Ah, yes...Senior Song)
49. Fantasy, Mariah Carey (Why do I STILL LOVE this song?)
50. Time, Hootie and The Blowfish

SMART KROGER. STUPID HOT

Last week I mentioned that I wanted to buy orzo pasta and had gone to Walmart to purchase it, only they didn't carry it. Kroger does, so I'd like to ask that everyone STOP shopping at Walmart and START shopping at Kroger to show their support. I was able to purchase four bags of it today for $4 at the Kroger on Stringtown, which will easily carry me through months of orzo feasting, I'm sure. Thank you Columbus, for your patronage of these fine Kroger grocers, and for NOT shopping at the forever-sucky Walmarts. :-P

And if you are interested in the dish I'll be making with my orzo, here is the inspiration dish, from Macaroni Grill:

Here is the recipe for the Orzo with Spinach and Tomato (just for you, Mary and Tanya). The salmon that will go with it is just grilled teryaki salmon.

1 pound spinach, washed, dried, stems removed
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (I'm going to use sun dried tomatoes because that's what's in MG's)
2 lemons, zested
1 1/2 cups orzo, cooked to al dente
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the bowl
24 basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced (the reviews of the recipe on Food Network said 24 was way too much - many people suggested only 10)
Salt and pepper

Pile spinach leaves in stacks 1 on top of the other. Thinly slice stacks of leaves to make spinach confetti. Pile shredded spinach into the bottom of a medium sized mixing bowl. Halve grape or cherry tomatoes with a paring knife and add them to the mixing bowl. Add the zest of 2 lemons to the bowl and save the lemons in the refrigerator to juice for another recipe. Add hot cooked and drained orzo pasta to the mixing bowl. The heat of the pasta will wilt the spinach and warm the tomatoes at the bottom of the bowl and get the juices flowing from veggies. The heat of the pasta will also release the flavor and oils in the lemon zest. Drizzle 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over the pasta and toss to combine the veggies and orzo. Add basil and salt and pepper and toss to combine. Taste your orzo to adjust seasonings and serve.

And in unrelated news from our shopping trip today...while were at the North Market, Tanya Stevenson (who is about to return to the world of blogging), asked some stranger to take our picture. At the same time, I'd been trying to get either Tanya or Mary to take a bite of this crazy hot salsa that I knew to cause grown men to cry, lose their voice and otherwise choke. They weren't biting. BUT, lo and behold, this man couldn't resist three young women saying, "HEY! Could we get you to try this "Stupid Hot! Salsa over here?" Actually, it might not have been all three of us...just me. I just wanted to see if anyone would do it! And he said, "Oh sure, why not!" So of course, I had to rip out my phone to video it - I just KNEW he was going to barf or something.

Nothing. Well, not nothing. He shed a few tears and had trouble choking out the words, "W O W . That's H O T." But then, he took ANOTHER bite, and THEN, as if it wasn't an insult to my prank already that he wasn't peeing his pants, he asked the owner if he could buy a jar. What a jerk. It's like he took the fun right out of it. Geez - you'd think the owner could have at least paid me or something...or given ME a jar of "not nearly stupid hot, but still really yummy" salsa for driving sales her way. I'd show you the video clips from my phone, but really, they're nothing to look at. Maybe this guy's tastebuds don't work. The "OTHER" man I saw taste this - I THINK that he has a pretty high tolerance for strange and spicy foods. Or maybe he was just being brave because I dared him to taste it too one day and he didn't want to back down from the dare? Who knows. All I know is it sure smells STUPID HOT. All you readers out there, next time you're at the North Market, I dare you - take a bite of the Stupid Hot salsa and let me know what you think. And NO. I have not and will not accept your double dog dare. You might be stupid, but I'm am not. (and...on that note, I think I will disable comments for this post). ;-)

STEALING THE GOOD LIFE, WEEKS ONE + TWO

Here they are for your listening enjoyment: weeks one and two of the series mentioned below. They will only be available for download off this site for seven days, or 25 downloads, so get your copy first and fast. Weeks three and four didn't copy on the cds the church gave me, so unfortunately, I can't post those just yet. And, I don't have four - nine, but as soon as I can I'll get 10-14 up I will, in case you want to listen to those. These are mp4 files, which will play in ITunes. If you don't have ITunes, you can download it free here. These are big honkin' files, so they will take a LONG time to download - be warned - but hey - if you really want to listen to them, at least now you can. Enjoy!

For Week One:
http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=E66E79A06F674E9A
For Week Two:
http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=91AA7D7B7AFBA55C

*in case you're wondering, yes I know how to make links that don't show the entire URL, but for some reason, it wasn't working properly with these particular links...so this is what I had to do - show the entire thing. Sorry for the sloppiness.

STEALING THE GOOD LIFE

Those of you who go to the Vineyard here in Grove City will have some context for this post. Those who don't? Sorry...I won't be able to explain this completely, and the sermon it refers to is offline. If I can find a place to throw the MP3 on the internet so you can listen to it, I will.

Do you remember the first week of the Stealing the Good Life series? It was the one where Tom went through the history of Israel, basically. The whole message hung on one little verse, talking about the "descendant of Hakaliah...." verse in the opening of Nehemiah. "The time that you're waiting on him to do something is the point," he said. "It's what he's doing while you're waiting for him to do the thing you THINK he's doing that is what he's actually doing..." and then of course as the message and series went on, we learned that part of Stealing the Good Life is to get that God is working out his Good Life for you every moment. The Good Life doesn't live out there --------->like something that we are going to just someday attain, because the Good Life isn't a destination like that. We're not going to just wake up one day and "be there." RIGHT NOW is the Good Life that leads to the Good Life, because you have to fight for the Good Life, and the very fight for the Good Life is part of the Good Life.

So, with all that's happening...I have to ask myself - am I fighting for my Good Life? I know what it is. I know it clearly. Am I letting people push me around when I know so clearly what the Good Life is for me and mine? Maybe I am...maybe that's WHY things have been so nutty lately. Or maybe I'm not...and THAT'S why things have been so nutty lately.

Are YOU fighting for your Good Life? Not to even mention your wall and your people...and knowing what it is, and who they are and what you're supposed to be doing about it? But just right now - is it GOOD? your life? Does it resemble your Good Life?

That was the best series that Tom's preached since I've been here. The current one is pretty good, too...but Stealing the Good Life - transformational, huh? I've been listening to it tonight, and will probably listen to it again tomorrow. I remember thinking (and telling someone at the time), that I wasn't letting it soak in enough at the time. That it was overwhelming me. The implications of it, and what God was doing in my heart and life at the time through it, was simply overwhelming to me. May God continue to speak to me through it even now.

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

Indeed, we do have a problem in Houston. You might remember about four weeks ago I mentioned that my mom's breast cancer has returned. Yesterday she went to the ER because she couldn't feel her arms. Strange, huh? She could move them, just not feel them. In the process of investigating that with various tests, a very persistent doctor found cancer in two discs of her spine. It has not spread to her brain via her spine though, which is good, but it is in her spine. Bone cancer. We laugh at breast cancer because we know that she can beat that (I mean, she has three times already, what's another?) Women beat breast cancer all the time, right? We don't laugh about bone cancer in the spine. For bone cancer - we pray, and ask that you do the same.

(Deut. 31v6)
6Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid of them! The LORD your God will go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you.

(2 Corinthians 4v16-18)
16That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! 18So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.

(2 Tim 1v7)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

TO ENTER EUROPE, YOU MUST HAVE A VALID PASSPORT WITH A PHOTOGRAPH OF YOURSELF IN WHICH YOU LOOK LIKE YOU ARE BEING BOOKED ON CHARGES OF SOLICITING SHEEP.
(DAVE BARRY).

And now I do! No thanks to Bob (of course), who insisted that I didn't need one to travel to London for some strange reason (and he will insist even now that he did not say that ;-) ). Craig and I have figured out it was a miscommunication we can only attribute to the joys of electronic communication, because of course, Bob would NEVER say that. He is a seasoned traveler, and was the head of our missions council. He knows these things forwards and backwards. He must have been being terribly sarcastic towards me when he said, "No you don't need a passport to come to London - it's like Cananda like that," and I didn't catch the flatness of it via type. I mean, that's the only real explanation for it, right? (Bob - there's your opening. Insert YOUR explanation there). I have one now though...so that crazy scene at the airport where I'm being dragged away in handcuffs before I even make it off the tarmac? Not gonna happen THIS time (or at least NOT because I don't have a passport).

I know he hates that I tell this story like this, too...because there's no way to prove any of it. It could have happened just like this, or it could have NOT happened at all. For all we know (seriously), I had a seizure right in the middle of a conversation we were having and forgot half of what we were talking about. hahahaha...It's true that he probably didn't say it the way that I tell the story. If I had to bet on me or him in this circumstance, I personally would bet on him. So would my friends, even the one who took me to get my passport (huh, Craig?). BTW - Thanks Craig.

Alas for those that never sing,But die with all their music in them! (Oliver Wendell Holmes)
Once you follow the links, scroll down the page to find the links to listen to some new music I found tonight. I have to tell you though, some of it's strange...

• Romane (just a jazzy classical acousitic guitarist)
• KG (yeah, I don't know why I like this. I just do. Maybe I'm not only half black...Maybe a quarter of that half was east African?? Haha... oh that's crazy.)
• Afternoon (I knew I'd like this one when the description read, "This music might be appropriate if you're reading the paper in coffee shop, or sitting on your porch and staring out into space." What better music for me than music meant for staring out into space? That's what I DO!? hahaha... No seriously...I love hispanic music of any form... In my car, that I used to have, one of the radio stations was preset to a hispanic station, and it really did get listened to. And one of the coughonlycough great things about Houston is that there are a million hispanic radio stations AND TV stations. There are one or two here, and I do watch them, but they're not as fun as the ones down there...

And on an unrelated note? WHY are there people arguing on the other side of my apartment? Not the parking lot side (the good side), but the street side? I HATE when people argue really loud first of all (wonder why...), but to do it out loud, in public? And, to make matters worse, it's two women!? How unladylike can you be? Seriously. Grow up. Find another way to express yourself. God gave you words, and emotions and the ability to use your brain. Try it, I promise it works. But please - there are children playing in the yard... It makes me mad at them on the one hand, but also sad for them... :-( *sigh* Oh well... they're going to continue to argue, I suppose. In the meantime, enjoy the music! The first one is probably the most normal!

PILLAR

Did God lead the Israelites with a pillar of fire by night and cloud by day...because he knew if he didn't they'd never find their way? or as a dramatic demonstration of his provision? He was already talking with Moses and telling him which way to take everyone, so was it absolutely necessary to do the whole Pillar thing? Maybe it wasn't for the Israelites so much - the Egyptians didn't seem to care much for it. Kind of scared them. Maybe it was all three - needed for directions, meant as a demonstration of provision, and as a testimony to their enemies.

WHAT'S THAT FRO?


Brandi finally posted her own pictures of her party, and so here's the last one of me I'm posting this week. In case you've wondered what I'd look like with a pile of black fro, now you know (because I know that you've ALL been wondering). That party was fun. And hey, be sure to check out the rest of the picture over at Brandi's place. There are pictures of Tammy (Bob's mom), Vanessa (his oldest sister), and Kate (his youngest sister), as well as some more of Brandi there, too. And Brandi - Bob did help. I mean, don't you think it was WORK for him not to tell you? He totally knew about it...and he kept it a secret. That sounds like work to me...

HI MOM. HI AUNT KATHY.

My mom just called me just now, but I missed the call. When I called her back, she said she couldn't talk because...she was on the phone with my aunt Kathy, both of them reading my blog, talking ABOUT what they're reading here. Nerds. Hi ladies, love ya!

IT'S OUT TO GET ME.

There is something chirping in my apartment. At least I think it's in my apartment. It might be in the neighbor's place and I can hear it through the wall, but I'm pretty sure it's mine. It sounds like what the smoke detector sounds like when the battery is going low, only it's so sporadic, there's no way I can find it. OR it sounds like what the house alarm sounds like when it has been tripped accidentally during the day and needs reset completely, only I reset it completely this afternoon when that happened (I think). It is SO sporadic...I can't even say it's driving me nuts... because that's not true... but it's enough to wake me up because it's so shrill.

NOT WASTING AWAY, BUT THANKS FOR ASKING.

Special thanks to those of you who have emailed me recently to ask if I'm wasting away to nothing. I'm not, really. I've still got quite a bit of chunk left, hahaha, though certainly I can't complain! It's kind of cool to be able to eat whatever and still basically lose weight. Here's a picture to prove that I'm really not rail thin, at least if my face can "prove" anything for those of you out of state who know what my face looked like before. I could probably be a size 4 before I'm rail-sickly-thin (not that I'd ever WANT to be that...). That's what being five foot two will do for you.
(Taking this picture made me feel like one of the teens on MySpace. Gross. I just about ate my hair, too, but I didn't want to have to take a thousand pictures just to show that I'm not dying of starvation here. It makes me appreciate the master of all self portraits - Brandi Meeker.)
But anyway, thanks guys. I appreciate the concern. It's been kind of strange losing all of this so quickly. I'm approaching 60 pounds lost now-will probably be there before the end of the week, especially since the doctor up'ed my medicine, and since I've resolved to eat MORE than I have been. I think my friends are sick of hearing about it; sick of going shopping with me to replace the clothes that don't fit anymore. Brandi said the other day, "Angie, you're shopping for your old body, not your new one." I suppose that's true. I look at clothes and think, "I can't wear THAT," because it's like half the size of what I used to wear or it's just something that is a style that I used to not be able to wear, but totally can now. It just takes some time to get used to. OH, and like I've said before, because I'm SHORT, it's actually kind of difficult to find clothes to fit. I bought an awesome pair of size 12 jeans at the Gap the other day. They don't really fit though (don't tell Brandi and Cristi). They're too big (at least I *think* they are now that they're home and being worn). And I'd really like to go work out so that I can actually be FIT now, but I just know that's going to be make me SHRINK up like a shrinky dink...then I seriously WILL be a size 4. haha...Then where will I buy clothes? Where do they sell stylish clothes for the "little people" again? hahaha...

SLEEP IN THE CITY

I had a dream the other afternoon during a nap. I dream that I was in our middle eastern country, taking a nap. I was sleeping restfully, too. And in my dreams, when I'm sleeping restfully, I feel like it points to that situation itself being blessed, or restful. As soon as I woke up for real, I immediately came over the laptop to see if Bob was around so I could tell him about it, and seriously, as soon as I clicked on our IM program, he was im'ing me for something. I said, "Bob! I just had the greatest dream! I dreamt that I was sleeping in our apartment in our country... on the 8th floor." He asked if it was in Pak City, which is the name of the actual apartment complex where we'd like to live (and I've seen brochures and pictures of it, so I know what it looks like). I said, "YES! It was! only I when I woke up in the dream and walked over to the window, I could see a playground, and I've never seen that in the pictures. Isn't that strange? A playground at Pak City?!" He said, "There is a playground at Pak City. Sweet."

Ahh... Restful sleep on the 8th floor AND a playground at Pak City.

Objects In the Rearview Mirror...
(long post. be warned. This might just be an update post...)

I went to lunch with a friend today, and then she took me to Walmart to do some shopping. I bought a mouse last week for my new laptop, only it was for the wrong type of port. I was obviously not paying attention - my laptop doesn't even have that type of port. Duh. SO, I needed to return the mouse, but that's the sort of little trip that I have to plan ahead for since I can't drive. This friend is great. She called yesterday and asked if I needed to go to Walmart for anything and I said no. Only I did, I just didn't think of it at the time. I REALLY did. I need to take care of the mouse, and I need fresh groceries, like fruits and veggies, but I needed to make a list first, and that's the sort of thing I can't do on the spur of the moment when someone calls and is on their way to Walmart. But this friend, like I said, she's great. She asked me again last night after church if I wanted to go today, and so I explained to her WHY I couldn't go last night, that I need to relearn to make lists now, and so YES, I'd love to go today after I had time to make a list. OH! You might not know - my roommate Cristi moved out last week. She moved back home to her parents' house in Texas while she continues to look for a nanny position somewhere. I don't think she likes that much (mostly because she called last night and asked if she could "move home!" She'll get used to it, I guess. God will bring her the right position when it's time.) When she lived here, we could just go to the store whenever. No need for lists. But now, I'll have to do that sort of thing so that when people call and ask if I need to go to the store, I can say "yes," and be able to go according to their schedule. I did buy some great stuff at the store, though. I bought all the stuff to make that dish I get at Macaroni Grill - the grilled salmon with spinach orzo. Well, except the orzo. They didn't have it. Who knew Walmart wouldn't carry orzo? Walmart sucks. My friend agreed, too.

Yes. I guess this IS a post about my trip to Walmart. Kind of. She's a good friend. She makes me think of how a three stranded cord is not easily broken. There is a group of friends here who are like that. Some of them realize that - that they ARE a three stranded cord who will not be easily broken; some of them know that they can be that, but they're scared to draw close to that; and some of them push it away. This friend knows it and draws close to it. She's holy like that.

I sold my car last week, too, in case you didn't know that. A pretty 2003 Honda Accord LX - She went to a good man. It was pretty awful, selling her though. Of course, it was nothing about selling her that was awful - more about what that represented. I really can't drive...so much so that it doesn't make sense for me to even own a car at this point. And as if to punctuate that sentence last week - I had a seizure the day after I finalized the sale of my car. It's the third one like this that I've had (one with Devan, one at El Vaquero with Brandy and Cristi, and then this one). I put off calling the doctor for a few days to tell him; I just didn't want to hear what he'd say. If noone had seen it, I might not have called at all. (Well, if noone had seen it, I wouldn't have known it had happened!) But they did, and it's hard to ignore what other people see, and then to ignore their insistence in calling the doc (and their parent's insistence ;-). I figured I'd just tell him in a few weeks, but they all thought that was a bad idea. HE didn't say anything. He just relayed a message back through his nurses. "Up your medicine 50 mg. a day, and we'll talk more at your appt. June 16. Call immediately if anything else happens." I'm feeling a little of what I feel when he ups the meds - shaky and tingly and tired...but besides that, ok. The type of seizure I had is more silly than anything, at least that's what I think. The people who see it might say otherwise. It feels silly to me because what I experience is so different than what other people see. But the good thing is this - the Dr. didn't say anything about resetting my driving time! hehehehe... that doesn't mean that he WON'T! It just means he didn't. If he goes by his same rule he's used in the past, this means I won't be driving now until October. OCTOBER. That's a year. A year without driving. It's not funny anymore. I'm past "worried" about it. This is just the way it is. Of course, I still PRAY that God would simply HEAL me. In the meantime, I am not going to worry about my seizures or not being able to drive. It wasn't getting me anywhere except more worried.

In other news, I am interviewing for a position with a non-profit downtown as the asst. to the president, and as the exec. asst. to the organization itself. It would be awesome if I got that position. I've found in my years of working so far that I enjoy both types of positions I've held. One is being the team lead, and the other is assisting the team lead. But when I say assisting, I mean being that person's right hand man... er uh.. woman. There's something really energizing about that for me. And this position is working for an organization that empowers OTHER organizations that empower individuals...so that's an interesting slant on the whole non-profit sector that I've not been a part of yet, but that sounds like fun. It's a step up the secular non-profit food chain, if you will. I can get to the position, too, because the bus in front of my apartment goes directly to this office, without any transfers, too (awesome, huh?!). Eventually, it wouldn't even be a bad idea to move down there if I need to... since in December my lease expires and I HAVE to move out (they're turning my apartment complex into condos and I either have to buy or move). I don't know exactly what all is going to be happening in my life over the next ... oh gosh who knows how many months or years - I can't even venture a guess at this point... but this job could be a good thing for NOW. I look at NOW, and this job could fit.

Overall, life is still pretty good. This past year has been WILDLY amazing. I would have never imagined all that has happened would happen, but it has, just like that. I mean, it IS happening, just like it is. And it's GOOOOOD. Really GOOOOOOD, even when it's hard. I hope that everything is going well for you, too. Feel free to share a little about how life is treating you (or don't if you don't want to). I don't know who you all are or where you're coming from, but there's a lot of you out there reading. Well, maybe not STILL reading this post, because it's pretty much the longest post ever on Oz. On that note. C-ya!

HOLY ECHO. AGAIN.

Matthew 6
30-33"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
34"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

THE WIT

The 3-Variable Funny Test!

your humor style:
CLEAN COMPLEX DARK

71% dark, 38% spontaneous, 26% vulgar

You like things edgy, subtle, and smart. I guess that means you're probably an intellectual, but don't take that to mean pretentious. You realize 'dumb' can be witty--after all isn't that the Simpsons' philosophy?--but rudeness for its own sake, 'gross-out' humor and most other things found in a fraternity leave you totally flat.

I guess you just have a more cerebral approach than most. You have the perfect mindset for a joke writer or staff writer. You probably loved the Office. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check it out here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/.

PEOPLE LIKE YOU: Jon Stewart - Woody Allen - Ricky Gervais

DJ A, HELPIN' YOU OUT THIS THURSDAY MORNING.

Missy Higgins. Player in the right hand corner.

MY BOYFRIEND'S BACK TO KURDISTAN!


nice Journey tshirt bought at the bazaar for less than one US dollar

do you like seafood? Yes. Why? SEA Food!?

Bob and his team were on retreat from their middle eastern country in another middle eastern country, and just got back. I'll be in London in just eight weeks, and we'll be home in the states in about the same time! How exciting!

LEAN ON ME...

As promised, a few pictures of the 70's Disco Inferno this past Saturday. I suspect that more pictures are soon to come at Cinderella J's place...

(this is the birthday girl, Brandi Meeker, Robert's MUCH older sister)


(from back L: Brandi; Craig, the resident sage in a fro; Cristi, the local tree hugger; front L: Me, frontin some sort of strange upper lipless grin?; Megan, the subdued by day Cat Lady, wild by night Wild Woman; and capping it off on the end, Brandy, the town drunk, but not the mean kind, the kind everyone wants to be around! ;-)


(that's me, your local tour guide/stewardess. Whatever I can do to arrange a good time for you and yours, just let me know!)

Passengers: MISS ANGELA OSBORNE

Flight number: BA0294
From: O'Hare (Chicago) Terminal 5
To: Heathrow (London) Terminal 4
Depart: 14 Jul 2006 9:15
Arrive: 15 Jul 2006 11:00
Operated by: British Airways
Booking status: Confirmed

Flight number: BA0297
From: Heathrow (London) Terminal 4
To: O'Hare (Chicago) Terminal 5
Depart: 19 Jul 2006 12:55
Arrive: 19 Jul 2006 3:10
Operated by: British Airways
Booking status: Confirmed

FLORIDA SUCKS.

Why go to Florida when you can go to Georgia or the Carolinas? Alligators are eating the people of Florida for lunch this week! Ick!

PANDORA STRIKES AGAIN

Seriously. This is what happens when my internet goes down for a few days like it did earlier this week. I feel a need to catch up all at once (and make several post in one day, even if they're in essence useless posts). I was a mad mess this week, too, because of that. You don't have to tell me that I have an unhealthy connection to the net - I already know. It's worse when I can't sleep.

Pandora kicked up Bic Runga this afternoon, when playing my station for Duncan Sheik. Initially, it was the song Something Good, and that made me flip back to the Pandora player to see who was playing...but after I visited her site, I thought I might actually like her. I can't like EVERY song, of course, but I do like a lot of what I'm hearing. Some of it's too whiney and ethereal for me. There's a player in the right hand corner of her site if you want to take a listen. Apparently, I like her album Beautiful Collision, because I've really liked every song playing from that particular album. Thanks Pandora!

FAT, DRUNK AND STUPID IS NO WAY TO GO THROUGH LIFE, SON.

We went to see Brandi's and Bob's cousin's band Vinyl play at Little Brothers tonight. Do I LOOK like I'm not 21? I mean, I got carded when I was 23. I can understand that - I maybe looked like I was 21. I got carded when I was 25. I understood it less then. But I'm 20-freaking-7 now. Is it necessary? Do I REALLY look like I MIGHT be under 21? And yeah, I know...maybe the guy at the door just cards EVERYONE. But still...he didn't card the people who were OBVIOUSLY not 21, so I guess I'm not one of those people yet. (Yeah, I know. A few years from now, I'm going to appreciate getting carded. You know, like when I'm as old as Brandi)! ;-)

I AM BORED SO THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

>>>This is what you get for goofing off at work. I love this prank, in all its forms!
>>>This guy is no Joe Maxim, but he'll do for Brandi in a pinch, because he has a grasp of just about every dance move from the twist to the lawnmower to the slightest headnod in Eminem's videos.
>>>Russell Peters makes me laugh. And he does it by cracking on every culture under the sun. This video clip is really long, but it would be good to have running in the background while you're working on something else if YOU'RE bored...
>>>Yeah right. Yet another reason these tests are bogus. First Houston came up as the first "BIG" I should live in at www.findyourspot.com. Now This:

You Belong in London

A little old fashioned, and a little modern. A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock. A unique woman like you needs a city that offers everything. No wonder you and London will get along so well.

What City Do You Belong In?

and uh? A "little bit punk rock?" I'm sure that's NEVER described me a day in my life. It's because one of the questions was:
Your idea of culture is:

a. Poetry, fashion shows, and good wine
b. Ethnic food, first run theater shows, and punk concerts
c. Going to a modern art museum or clubbing with your friends
d. The opera or out dancing with your sweetie

and I chose "b." I will NEVER be punk rock. This was especially proven by my outfit at last night's party. Tom P. used to describe me as a Disney Tour Guide when I would give announcements on Sundays at church. Apparently, even when I'm a throwback to the 70's, I can't get away from that. As soon as I walked into the party last night, Christy (Bob's stepmom), said, "OHMYGOD! Angie! You look JUST LIKE one of those airline stewardesses from the 70's! WOW!" And Brandi said that my dress was the "Brady Bunch" 70's look, or the preppy 70's look. So yeah, 2006 or 1976. Punk rock I am not.
>>>HA! Now I'm not a HUGE Star Wars fan, mostly because I haven't seen all six in one the same decade yet, so I can't keep the whole story line together in my head...but...this is funny! TROOPS. Let's say, "Bad boys, Bad boys...whatcha gonna do? It's like a bad video sitcom mash up...Haha!

NICE MOVE? DID YOU MAKE THAT UP?
Yeah, well...I saw it on TV first, then I made it up.

Pictures will be coming soon, I promise.

And it was a crazy Saturday night this one... last night was Brandi's birthday party (Brandi is Robert's sister for those who don't know). She turned 30 on Friday.

She'd been saying forever that she wanted a 70's party, so she could get all glammed up and go dancing, so our home group offered to do that - get all dressed up and go take a group dance lesson together at this dance studio down in Grandview. Brandi has mentioned wanting to take lessons at this place before to me because everytime we drive past she says, "I don't know what's going on in there, but it must be fun because the windows are all all hot and steamy!" So we told her that's what we were doing for her birthday (actually all of that would be on Sat., her 30th bday was on Fri.). But you have to know - the folks in our home group = not exactly dancers (myself included to some extent). Some of them kind of had to be TOLD that they were getting 70'd up, and that they were dancing because "this is Brandi's party dangit and this is what she wants so we're going to do this just so, so there!!" And told in front of Brandi, too, so she'd know what a drag it was to get them to go dancing just for her. Not all of them, and eventually they caved to the fun of it all, but for a few moments, we had to convince them it was worth their time. It was perfect!

On FRIDAY night though, when her entire family "should have" been getting together to throw her a huge FAMILY party, they were all conveniently busy or had to work or just plain forgot and couldn't make it to any sort of party, so just Brandi, her mom, her grandma and I went to dinner at Schmidt's, this classic German restaurant downtown. Not a bad way to spend your 30th, but NOT the way that Brandi had been expecting. She was OOZING disappointment. No big party from her family, pulling teeth to get some of the home group to go dancing (not ALL-some of them were totatlly into it ((and in the end they were ALL into it - wait until you see the pictures - they were awesome!!)). And to top it all off, after dinner, she and I went to see the WORST "coming of age" movie I've ever seen (the new Lindsey Lohan movie.) So Brandi Meeker rang in her next thirty years sulking in a movie theater mad at the world for not giving her the best 30th party ever...

OH! Did I mention yet that we were never REALLY going dancing? Yeah... it was all a front and everyone knew it. See, Brandi's mom lives very near the dance studio, and "of course" she would want to see our home group all 70'd up in our outfits, right? And "of course" we'd have to stop by to show her so she could take pictures before we got all disheavled dancing? Kind of like prom!

And OF COURSE! Once we got there to take those pictures, all of Brandi's friends and family would be there waiting for her with the rest of the party! HAAAAAAAY! HOOOOO!!! The same people who "had to work," "forgot," "could't make it," or whatever the night before...

But Brandi almost screwed it up! We were ON TIME. Our "dance lesson" started at 7:45, and we were supposed to be at her mom's at 7:30. Brandi was getting all upset. "Why can't mom just come meet us at the studio? That way we don't have to get out of the cars twice? We're going to be late if we stop at mom's." It was kind of raining, too, and I think she didn't want her hair to get messed up. I thought she was going to call Tammy and throw a fit! Whew! I made up some junk about how the studio opens just for our lesson and so the guy would be okay if we were five minutes late...blah, blah, blah... and a few minutes later we were standing at the door of Tammy's apartment, having just "knocked and walked into to get out pictures taken" only Brandi was stadind there crying, saying, "I, I, I... I was so mad at all of you guys! and you! My sisters! You especially! You were supposed to be at my party last night! And wait? Wha? There's no dance lesson is there?? Oh! I get it! Thank you guys!"

It was great! I *think* that we really did surprise her. And then... we danced. Some more than others (vanessabrandondeedeeandevengrandmakaybrokeitdown), but we danced. And Brandi danced...And it was fun. Good times.

Pictures soon...Because seriously. Craig's Fro; Megan's Braid; Cristi's Hair Thingy; Brandy's Hair; Brandi's Earrings...classic and definitely worth this long post and some pictures. AND! Let it be known here and now that there was alcohol involved. Not for me...but for certain OTHER home group members...that will remain nameless HERE...but you know where to go to find the jokes if you're one of us. ;-) Happy Birthday Brandi! and for the rest of you with 30th's coming up! You're next!

YO! CHILL...DON'T BUMP THE TABLE!

(Matthew 6)
30"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers--most of which are never even seen--don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? 31What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. 32People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. 33Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

34"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

AN OPEN LETTER TO OLD NAVY

Dear Old Navy:

What makes you think that every size 12 or a size 10 wants the new fasionble tears and rips in her jeans? You obviously have your pulse on the edge of 2006 summer fashion. You must know more about these things than I do. But then here's what I don't get. Why do only the tall people deserve to have their pants fall neatly over their sandals? Your sales associate today informed me (after 40 minutes of searching in vain for this exact pair of jean) that Old Navy does not manufacture the Flare Jean in "short," only the Bootcut Jean. Now your Bootcut is great, if you're wearing boots and want a leg that is going to end at your ankle. But, it's summer, and we short people, we wear sandals, too, you know?

Why can't we have flared short pants? Not gigantic elephant pants that make us look like our legs disappear into the ground. We don't need help looking shorter than we are. We KNOW not to wear CRAZY flares. We don't want that. But your bootcuts don't work for sandals. We want our pants to grace our shoes like the tall ones do...but apparently, you don't want us to buy those pants from you. So we won't. We've been to Maurices and we know that they have cute "short" jeans, too, for about the same price. Old Navy <-----short discriminators.

Thanks for nothing these days,

"short" sized 10/12

7 THINGS. ALL DAY. EVERY DAY.

I was thinking in the middle of Saturday night service that Tom should send an email reminder to the church to do their lists of "7 Things To Do, All Day Every Day." He won't, but he should. But I can. So here's your reminder. Maybe if you're brave, you'll post it as a comment even. In an attempt to gain control of the "cHiARoTiCA" of your life, if you had to do only seven things a day, every day for the rest of your life, what would they be? Seriously. ONLY seven things. ALL day. EVERY day. FOR----- EV-----ER.

Also, another question for you guys and gals... Tom said in his message this weekend that the four parts to a godly Sabbath were (let's see if I can remember this without the notes in front of me, so I'm totally paraphrasing)...

based on psalm 92
1. worship (through music??)
2. contemplation and comparison of the Lord's greatness??
3. uninhibited play (that's really the one I remember)
4. uh...considering areas of growth and flourishing?

In order to ask the next question, someone will need to help me clarify those four areas... but...which of those four areas do you need to rest in more often on your Sabbath? Which is the easiest for you? AND WHY? is there something we can do to help? is there something we're doing to get in the way? How goes your Sabbath these days?

Author's Notes:
I gotta be honest - Sabbath goes hard for me these days. And
for me, it's a matter of space. I'm realizing that space is important to me. #1 "Worship" is actually getting...well, I'm finding MORE space there (or as you might me saying in other posts, I'm finding more space "to breathe" there). But, as for the other three - not so much. It's because I'm in the same SPACES all the time...without the ability to vary that myself. It's like that old McD's commerical: get up up, go to work, go home, go to bed, and on and on it goes. Now, don't get me wrong. I TOTALLY do things. All the time. I'm out with my amazing group of friends a few nights a week doing fun and meaningful things with them. I can't just breakout and go...somewhere beautiful by myself.

And I know this sounds awful, but DRIVING was a part of my worship. (Devan would understand this if she were reading). God met me in my car, on open roads, with the windows down and radio up, getting lost on backroads near the river. THAT was my uninhibited play, comparing the Lord's greatness and considering areas of growth - all at once. And truthfully, it very often happened on Sundays (in the evening, after lunch, after a nap, after whatever else... as Sundays should be!). Ahhh...I'm breathing just thinking about it. Like the dog on the porch, I suppose. haha... It's no wonder dogs hang their tongues out they go for a ride. Just pure enjoyment - soaking it all in. I can't do that right now. Haha... Yeah, I guess I'm saying I can't just hang my head out the window with my tongue flopping in the breeze. Funny picture, eh? I walk to the mailbox. And I lick my lips a little on the way there? How's that?! Yeah, not quite the same, huh.

So Sabbath's got to take on a new form for me, because the old way's not resting. Brandi showed me a six-foot deep couch the other day. That could be a Sabbath all by itself. I wouldn't even have to go anywhere if I had that. THAT could be my somewhere beautiful. Can you imagine? A six-foot deep couch? Ohhh... I'm totally distracted now. I'm not driving in the car anymore, I'm napping on the couch. It's just as nice, really. They're both good places to consider God's goodness. They both teach me about God's rest. And on that note. I should go to bed. Good night Y'all.

AMANDA - HERE ARE THE DATES FOR YOUR DREAM DATE. ;-)


THE 2005 SUMMER MUSIC SERIES AT THE OHIO THEATRE

CAPA’s Summer Movie Series returns for its biggest year ever! We’re bringing back our greatest hits from past summers—all of your favorite blockbuster musicals, dramas, comedies…plus some series debuts thrown in for good measure. The most movies, biggest hits, and brightest stars—all in the grandeur of the Ohio Theatre!

The 2006 Series:
Gone With the Wind (1939): Friday-Sunday, June 16-18
Suspicion (1941): Wednesday-Friday, June 21-23
Mary Poppins (1964): Wednesday-Friday, June 24-25
Citizen Kane (1941): Wednesday-Friday, June 28-30
Captain Eddie (1945): Saturday, July 1
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957): Saturday & Sunday, July 1 & 2
The Forbidden Planet (1956): Wednesday, July 5
The Kid Brother (1927): Thursday & Friday, July 6 & 7
Saturday Morning Cartoon Capers - Saturday, July 8
Brigadoon (1954): Saturday & Sunday, July 8 & 9
White Heat (1949): Wednesday-Friday, July 12-14
Casablanca (1942): Saturday & Sunday, July 15 & 16
After the Thin Man (1936): Wednesday-Friday, July 19-21
Bye Bye Birdie (1963): Saturday & Sunday, July 22 & 23
The Spiral Staircase (1946): Wednesday-Friday, July 26-28
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966): Saturday & Sunday, July 29 & 30
National Lampoon's Animal House (1978): Wednesday-Friday, August 2-4 (Rated R)
Giant (1956): Saturday & Sunday, August 5 & 6
Lost Horizon (1937): Wednesday, August 9
A Woman of Affairs (1928): Thursday & Friday, August 10 & 11
Saturday Morning Cartoon Capers: Saturday, August 12
The Wizard of Oz (1939): Saturday & Sunday, August 12 & 13
Cabaret (1972): Wednesday-Friday, August 16-18
Roman Holiday (1953): Saturday & Sunday, August 19 & 20
Chinatown (1974): Wednesday-Friday, August 23-25 (Rated R)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956): Saturday & Sunday, August 26 & 27

THE NERD FILES, ch.1

One day, many years from now, I'm going to travel to Noerdlingen, Germany. "Why!? Angie? WHY do you want to travel to NOERDLINGEN, Germany?"

Well, that's a good question. My brother Joe lived in Germany for a few years. He's told me it's a pretty great place - used to say he didn't want to move home, even. But he never mentioned Noerdlingen. If he had, I suspect I would have found a way to come visit.

Noerdlingen, Germany, is an entire town built on a impact crater. GASP!

Yeah, that's right. An impact crater - formed when a meteorite hit the earth (you remember this stuff...). I mean, this isn't like four row houses and a well. We're talking about an entire German town. And the church - right smack in the middle - the stone that the church is built of - it's built from the impacted stone from the u.. well, from the impact. And if you look at the town (which you'll see if you'll click on that link), you'll see that the town is totally built in a circle! in the shape of the crater. Too funny! But the scientists didn't see it at first because it was too obvious; no one could "see" the crater because the town was in the way!

Just imagine - all over that town, you can probably wall around and look at the rocks. Awesome.

And yes, I know, there's a much bigger, well preserved impact crater here in the states. Meteor Crater in AZ. I'd like to see it, too. I'm a little grossed out by the website, because it's so commercial, but...whatever. That's not the crater's fault, is it?

[edit: no coicidence then that the town's name looks like it might be pronounced "NERDlingen".]

HEADLINE READS: FREE MASSAGES ON HIGH STREET


The first Gallery Hop that I've been to since January 8 was tonight. I haven't been able to go since we started the Saturday night service because I've worked until Gallery Hop was over, basically. Now that I'm not on staff, my weekends are free for all sorts of fun. Oh it was nice to be downtown again, even it was just for two hours, and even if we really didn't get to browse much because the shops were closed by the time we got down there. I LOVE our city. I know that it's a "city," and so technically I shouldn't be able to breathe as easily down there...but tonight, I just wanted to be THERE...and breathe there for a while, instead of here in the burbs. I don't know how to explain that or why that is, but it was easy breathing there. I used to be afraid of the city. I felt lost in that sea of people. I still do kind of, but it's different. Now it's okay...almost like that's the point. Like I appreciate THAT aspect of it...and realize that it's not being LOST at all. It's just everyone being there at the same time, and knowing WHY they're there at the same time, on purpose (if that makes any sense). And it doesn't have to be the same reasons, either.

Like tonight - the hula hoop lady wasn't there for the same reason as the dancing couple, or the tuba man, or the turkish goods lady, or the server at the restaurant, or the crazed animal guy, or the "hey - don't feel bad lady - you're pretty too!" boy. There's no need to feel lost around all of those different people, because they're all just people there for a reason...just like we were. And the five of us, we were all there for different reasons, too, huh? even though we came together. It was just good to BE together. And I think that's why I'm coming to appreciate our city. Because you can be your version of different at the same time as everyone else's different, at the same time, at the same place, and it's really pretty. It makes it easy to breathe.

WHY YOU WANNA GO AND DO THAT?

Ok. This video is VERY funny, until the last victim. But enjoy the first few people's reactions...cause they're priceless! Apparently the skeleton is saying, "come to hell with me."

MATTHEW 6
25"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. 26Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

27"Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? 28All this time and money wasted on fashion--do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, 29but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best--dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

30"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers--most of which are never even seen--don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? 31What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. 32People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. 33Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

34"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

GET DOWN WITH YOUR BAD SELF

Cristi and I were at Red Robin the other, and I think I caught a case of the giggles...because for some reason the cartoons on the TV were synching up the muzac on the loudspeakers...and let me tell you...

It's good tv when Yogi Bear serenades "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir" to Boo Boo, while banging a frying pan over his head in the middle of the forest...oddly enough to the beat of the song itself.

And it just kept happening over and over...a new song, a new cartoon. And over and over, I'd get the giggles. Good thing it was late lunch time, because I was actually laughing kind of loud. I think that I'm going to try to make some of these videos myself, and post them here, if anyone has any suggestions. Just name the cartoon and the song that should go with it!

HOW'D HE DO THAT?

I can't even fake it that fast. Listen for the clarinet.

When I was in high school, I was in band. If you know me at all, you know that by now. I'm a PROUD band nerd (she says as she holds up a white gloved fist, only the glove has the fingers cut off...because when you play clarinet in marching band, that's what you do. You cut the finger off so you can actually cover the finger holes on the clarinet completely). See. I told you I was a band nerd. I can play a variety of instruments, though - clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, french horn, marching french horn, trumpet, and others...AND, not only was I a band nerd, I was THE band nerd. Drum Major two years.

I should say that I COULD play a variet of instruments. I haven't played in years.

Anyway...there is a licorice-stick playing god out there, and you probably don't even know it. Most people only think of Benny Goodman, if they know of ANY master clarinetist. But there's another. His name is Eddie Daniels. My family used to have a friend, a very old gentleman who would take me to experience the Cincy Symphony every so often. He was close friends with the principal cellist and his wife, who I think played violin. So we'd go to the symphony and let me tell you. The experience of a band, or orchestra, or symphony...it's just magical for me. The lights of the concert hall reflecting off the brass, the tension in the air as the players warm up individually, then together and the music...it's fantastic. I just love it.

But this guy Eddie Daniels. He's a genius. I used to have a video of him playing. His fingers move SO fast - it's almost like watching a video animation of a clarinetist. And I can't imagine how he breathes the way he does or moves this tongue quickly enough or staccatto enough to produce the sounds he does. Seriously, it's kind of amazing.

Even if you don't like orchestral music, or jazz music, or whatever he happens to be playing...you've got to appreciate the excellence of this man's talent. No real point in sharing this though beyond sharing some amazing music that you've probably never heard... Eddie Daniels!

ARE THERE WORDS TO THE BIRD DANCE SONG?

Because there really are no words to describe this...

When I first moved to C-bus, and more specifically Grove City, I didn't understand what was meant when someone would throw up their gang sign and exclaim "Wesside," but it's like in this one photograph, the Grove City essence of Wesside is captured. Who would have a thought that an after church outing to KFC with the Meekers, Cristi and Megan would have produced two days of left over chicken AND this culturally significant photograph? Not me, that's for sure... Actually, I'm not really trying to poke fun. The crew there at KFC seemed to be having fun and still getting their job done...quite a feat for being teenage fast food workers, I'd say. Good for them! And all while wearing that dope sideways hat and a fly trashbag for a scarf? What more could a teenager ask for in this life???