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Just something quick -- thougth I would display some of the states I have called home :)

The pot calling the kettle black

Its funny when you think you have the power and determination to take on the world, sometimes you find out you cant even take on yourself. I have been dealing with that struggle for some time now. Today was one of those days.

Today would have been 7 years for me. 7 years married to someone I trusted. 7 years married to someone I loved. 7 years married to someone who I thought loved me too. Honestly, at this moment in time, it doesn't even matter any more. Those days are behind me.

All day I never even gave a 2nd thought to what today's date was. It wasn't until tonight while talking to a friend of mine that it dawned on me. At that one moment, I had that feeling of failure ... that feeling of self doubt and the the 100 "what-if" questions. I simply wasnt going to measure up to whatever it was she was looking for. No matter how hard I tried, it would never be enough.

So tonight, I tried to act like it didnt phase me --- the facade of the happy person when inside at that one moment, I was hurting. At that same moment, I was taken back to a conversation just yesterday with a friend of mine in which I said "...be true to yourself. I would rather be true to myself and miserable / blue / off / lethargic or whatever, than not true to myself, and wearing a happy façade knowing I am not happy at all." How dare I?! Here I am not even 24 hours later not being true to myself.

SO I picked my sorry butt up off the couch, and grabbed a card that my girl sent me for Sweetest Day...and that moment of my hurting went away, and that moment of my fake happiness was replaced by true happiness. Knowing that someone was out there thinking of me, and wanting to be with me, made that one moment disappear. I am in a much happier place. I am in a place where bad days are OK...little things matter and dont go unnoticed...I dont have to be someone I am not...I am loved for who I am...and that makes all the difference in the world!

When you are true to yourself, others will be too...you will be surprised who is standing there. When you are genuine, people may let you in to their circle of trust, where others may not be as fortunate.

J-Dawg

30 Days

I have been taking time away from here, for multiple reasons. First and foremost, for me. I have gone from wanting to write, to lately feeling like I need to write - like it is a chore. I never wanted this to be a chore, or something that I just HAD to do. I wanted this to be something I enjoyed. So the time away was good for me. 30 Days to be exact.

I have been taking time for me. I have taken time with my kids. I have taken time to have fun in life, and have a vacation of my own. I have taken time to love myself again, and in the process be loved back. I learned that you can't love anyone else until you learn to love yourself.

I have been busy with work, with new processes, and new challenges. Too bad, with all of this, there wasn't new money, but oh well! You can't have everything :)

I am very happy where I am with my life right now. I have my kids. I have a job that I like. I have someone who means alot to me, and I have been able, through all of this, to find the old me again. The Me that is fun-loving, happy, and ready to take on the world again. I thought I had lost the ability to love, the ability to live life to its fullest, and the ability to be happy.

I had just temporarily misplaced it.

So after much consideration about what to do with this place I call my internet home, I have made the decision to keep it up. I had been contemplating whether or not to take it down, but the only person I would be hurting would be myself. I would have no outlet for what is on my mind...well, I shouldnt say NO outlet, but you know what I mean. Plus, where would you go to find out that Dawn was probably having a coronary on the West Coast while her beloved Red Sox lost a 3-game series sweep at the hands of Satan's Minions/The Evil Empire/The Damn Yankees.

So with all of that being said, for those who have missed this little escape over here, I look forward to seeing you return here. For those that have never been here before, and you just stumbled onto this little neck of the woods, grab your helmet! :)

Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

J-Dawg

Loaded questions

I found this a few weeks back -- thought I would give it another shot:

Hypotheticals: If you were a nationality other than your own, which would you choose, why?
I would say Italian. That way, if the Sopranos ever came calling, I would be ready :)

Anything Goes: What is the most beautiful word you can think of?
KISMET (see this post to find out why)

No-Brainers: What two people would you most like to stand next to in a picture?
Joe Satriani and Lars Ulrich

Personals: What beverage do you find nauseating?
Grape soda, or anything made with tequilla -- I prefer my friends Jack and Jim from Tennessee thank you very much!

J-Dawg

Thursday Thirteen -- 08/02/07

Hello! Welcome to another edition of my Thursday 13 -- I have NO idea where my summer has gone. I have been so busy, I remember to do my Thursday 13 -- ON SUNDAY!!! So without further ado, I present to you 13 of my favorite quips/quotes/passages that I have found recently. Each of these has been a direct result of an inspiration:

1. "Life isn’t about the number of breaths you take; it’s the moments that take your breath away." ~From the movie Hitch
2. “The truest thing I know about relationships is that sometimes we don’t know anything at all. You can’t always get the one you want, and sometimes the one you get may not be the right one at all. But if you have hope, the universe has a funny way of showing exactly what you need. The challenge is to let yourself be alone til the right one shows up. But you can’t hide either. Heartbreak sucks. But not having heartbreak sucks more. The answers aren’t in a lecture or a book. But maybe if you get yourself happy, you’ll find the right one. I believe this, because I’m still an optimist. That’s the thing about love. If it were easy, everyone would have it.” ~From the show Men In Trees
3. "Life is a pure flame, and we live by an invisible sun within us." ~Sir Thomas Browne
4. "Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake."-Henry David Thoreau
5. "I'd like to be the sort of friend that you have been to me. I'd like to be the help that you've been always glad to be; I'd like to mean as much to you each minute of the day, as you have meant to me along the way." - Edgar A. Guest
6. "A friend is someone who reaches for your hand, but touches your heart." ~Kathleen Grove
7. “The language of friendship is not words, but meanings.” ~Henry David Thoreau
8. “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” ~Leo Buscaqlia
9. “So when you are listening to somebody, completely, attentively, then you are listening not only to the words, but also to the feeling of what is being conveyed, to the whole of it, not the part of it.” ~Jiddu Krishnamurti
10. “Care is the ingredient that keeps true friendships alive despite separation, distance, or time.” ~Sara Paddison
11. "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. " ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
12. “If I had a star for every time you made me smile, I’d have a whole night’s sky in the palm of my hands.” ~Author unknown
13. "What your heart thinks is great, is great. The soul's emphasis is always right." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I know there were a couple repeats in there, but each of these passages has a special meaning for me. I hope these passages find as much meaning for you as they do me :) Have a wonderful week everyone!

J-Dawg

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of this is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things.

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

#13 explained

It was the Spring of 1989, my senior year in high school. Unlike many people, I would never want to relive my senior year of high school. There were so many things that happened between the end of my junior year, and the summer after my senior year of high school that I would just as soon forget. In that time frame, I lost 6 friends of mine. One was two weeks before graduation. Two were in a vehicle I could have and/or should have been in. This is where the story goes.

In high school, I worked at Wal-Mart because it was THE place to work. Our town was only 30,000 people, but unless you have ever lived in New Mexico, you dont understand that in a town that size, everybody still knows everybody. One night, I had gotten off work early, and decided to stop at the little pizza joint on my way home. It was great -- you could get a slice (of pizza) and a Slice (soda) for $2. What a deal! As I am sitting there, 3 friends of mine rolled up and asked if I wanted to go cruising. After debating whether or not I should go, I decided to go home and study. Yeah me - giving up a night cruising around Carlsbad, and instead go home and study. It is a decision that to this day haunts me. At this point, its about 9pm.

Just after Steve, Tommy, and Chad left the pizza place, they picked up a 4th person and decided to cruise the town. At some point that evening, alcohol was introduced to the mix. One thing leads to another, and at approximately 1145pm that evening, Steve rolled his jeep, killing himself, and Tommy (2 days later) and seriously injuring the other two. I cant say for sure, but chances were pretty good I would have been sitting in the seat that Tommy was sitting in.

To this day, I am thankful to be here. Some days are harder than others, but still thankful that I made the decision I did. At 17...I would like to think once alcohol was introduced I would have left the vehicle...I am sure my closest friends would also back me up on this. Its just sad at times to think back and wonder what if. I would have missed out on so much. Maybe that is why it hurts so much sometimes. To Billy, Natalie, Tommy, Steve...

J-Dawg

P.S. Do you think it is weird I am writing about #13 on Friday the 13th?

A Look Back at the First Half

I dont think I could have said it any better (courtesy of orioles.mlb.com)

The Orioles' streak of losing seasons -- which stands at nine and counting -- appears to be in no danger of ending this season. The Orioles slogged through an injury-riddled first half of the season that saw three starting pitchers and indestructible shortstop Miguel Tejada hit the disabled list for extended periods of time.

Manager Sam Perlozzo lost his job as a direct result of the team's ailments and its inabilty to play consistent baseball, and the Orioles will make finding a new field boss a priority in the second half. Interim manager Dave Trembley has shaken things up as far as Baltimore's pregame preparation and will likely lead the team through July.

The team's real problem -- beyond injuries to Adam Loewen, Kris Benson and Jaret Wright -- has been an inability to hit for power. Tejada's power stroke seems to be fading, and offseason acquisition Aubrey Huff has struggled to find his power stroke. Baltimore ranks near the bottom of the league's home run chart and plays in an unforgiving division.

If the Orioles are able to turn things around, they'll need more consistent work from their bullpen and continued excellence from their starting rotation. Tejada will have to return from his fractured left radius and play like he did last season. Huff, Jay Gibbons, Kevin Millar and company will need to hit better to keep Baltimore from making it 10 straight seasons with a losing record.

Club MVP: Brian Roberts has been the team's most consistent offensive threat this season, unseating usual suspect Tejada. Roberts ranks first among American League second baseman in on-base percentage and second in both slugging and batting average. As if that's not enough, he's leading all AL players with 25 stolen bases.

Call him 'Ace': With all due respect to Jeremy Guthrie -- one of the biggest surprises in the league -- Erik Bedard remains Baltimore's staff ace. The southpaw has rebounded from a shaky April and currently leads the Major Leagues in strikeouts. Bedard turned in one of the best outings in club history last Saturday, tying an O's record with 15 strikeouts while facing the minimum 27 batters in a 3-0 victory over the Rangers. Bedard allowed just two singles and walked none.

Greatest strength: Baltimore's rotation has been solid, despite injuries to Benson, Wright and Loewen. Guthrie and Brian Burres are the biggest reasons, but Bedard has pitched up to expectations. If Daniel Cabrera can make some strides in the second half, the Orioles will go into the offseason with one of the most intriguing rotations in the league.

Biggest problem: The Orioles haven't hit for much power, which can be an absolute death sentence in the AL East. With Tejada injured, Huff and Melvin Mora are forced to shoulder more of the slugging load. Gibbons struggled to find his stroke for most of the first half and has played his way into a vastly reduced role.

Biggest surprise: Guthrie came out of nowhere to establish himself as a surprise candidate for the All-Star Game. He may not have received a berth on the team, but he's more than pitched well enough to remain in Baltimore's future plans. Guthrie, who arrived as a waiver claim from Cleveland, will be under contractual control for the next five seasons.

Team needs: Baltimore needs a big bat at either first base or an outfield corner, and it also needs more production from its designated hitter. The bullpen has performed as good as expected, but closer Chris Ray has been a disappointment.

He said it: "You just want to see the energy level as high as it possibly can be. You want to see guys have enthusiasm and effort. You'd like to see us get better." -- Andy MacPhail, Orioles' president of baseball operations, on what he'd like to see in the second half

They think the Orioles will have a winning 2nd half record - I think we will finish dead last. How pathetic is that...to finish worse than the DevilRays. Oh how I wish for days of old...Cal us old-time fans really miss you!

J-Dawg

Thursday Thirten -- 07/12/07

Hello everyone! Welcome to another edition of my Thursday 13. This makes edition #35 for me, so I thought I would talk about 13 really cool things that happened to me before I hit my 35th birthday last year:

1. I had two beautiful children that I am proud to call my own
2. I was able to see all 48 Continental states, 5 provinces of Canada, and Mexico
3. I was able to start up my own business
4. I was the best man in my best friend's wedding
5. I obtained my Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
6. I graduated from college
7. Not only did I graduate, I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa <>
8. I began writing to express myself and get things outside and not built up inside me
9. I became a TT13 regular :)
10. I saw the final 3 games at Memorial Stadium for the Orioles
11. I saw the first 2 games at Camden Yards
12. I met Al Unser Jr.
13. I am here today to write this. More about this one tomorrow (too tired to write tonight)

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week :) Be safe

J-Dawg

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of this is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things.

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

The word I have been looking for

KISMET -- A Turkish and Arabic word for fate, expressing the attitude that human effort cannot change the predestined course of events.

So how do you describe kismet? I have kismet. I've been kismetted? There is kismet in my existance. Kismet met, I'm beautiful (LOL). OK now its getting out of control!

But seriously, do you ever go to a place, and that place is like no other? A place where no matter the time, no matter the place, your existance in that time and place is surreal -- different -- a feeling that you get when everything just feels right. Worst day of the week or best moment of the day doesnt compare to that feeling.

KISMET is that feeling that I have. I have to thank Linsay for my word that I have been searching for :)

J-Dawg

Thursday Thirteen -- 07/05/07

Happy 4th of July to everyone out there! This week has been busy with the holiday. So busy that usually I work on my TT13 before Wednesday, then just type it up and post it. Well this time, I am flying by the seat of my pants and doing it as I go along! OH LORD! So without further adue (grab a helmet), here is this week's Thursday 13 -- Random Thoughts:

1. If the Lord would have wanted me to see a sunrise, he would have made it for noon.
2. Why do the doors at 7-11 (now known as the Kwik-E-Mart in select cities) have locks on their doors if they are open 24/7/365?
3. Guy walks up the other night when I am DJing and says "Can you play some Merle Haggard" to which I replied "Do you like women?" He says "WHAT?" So I say it again, "Do you like women?" He says "Yeah, why?" I said "Women dont flood the dance floor to Merle Haggard"....the light went on! I think he caught my drift
4. Always remember ... if you are having trouble sleeping, make sure you read the package before you take the Dayquil...yeah that was Sunday night -- DING!!!!! Yours truly! We have a winer!
5. So why is it that when you pay $10 for ringtones, and you have to get a new phone, the ringtones never get switched over? I am NOT spending ANOTHER $10 for more ringtones - I liked the ones I had already - thank you very much!
6. Right time and wrong place - seems to be a commonality in my life.
7. I dont watch a show, and its a hit and goes on for years. I find a show I like, and BOOM...6 episodes in, its gone! Teach me to like a show again and watch it from the beginning! :)
8. Is it me, or is every crime (which would barely make local new before) now being sensationalized by the media?
9. If crazy is crazy to a normal person, what is crazy to a crazy person because he thinks he is normal?
10. Word of warning - if you are ever wondering how bad the weather is going to get, just look for Jim Cantore from the Weather Channel - if he is in your town, leave!!
11. I love the subliminal message "...and receive a free gift". Aren't all gifts free?
12. If "con" is the opposite of "pro", then Congress is the opposite of progress.
13. My doctor keeps telling me I am out of shape. I keep correcting him. I keep telling him that my shape happens to be round LOL

Just a little something to lighten your week :) Have a great and SAFE holiday!

J-Dawg

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of this is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things.

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Loaded Questions

On one of my many clicks over the last few days (honestly I cant even remember how I found this) I found these questions, and I thought I would just share, and answer:

This week's questions with my answers below them:
Hypotheticals: If you created a new flavor of ice cream, what wold it be?
Do you think they would ever have a meat and potatoes flavored ice cream? LOL

Anything Goes: What celebrity makes you glad you are not a celebrity?
Paris Hilton - I cannot STAND her...sorry if you like her. But if you went out, had a DUI, had an accident, then ran away, I doubt the judge would let you stay at home an extra couple days to "prepare". Yeah, obsurdness to the Nth degree

No-Brainers: Besides a cat or dog, what animal would you want as a house pet?
Fish - I would love to have a huge aquarium.

Personals: Which of the following do you feel yields the greatest benefits - extraordinary wealth, strong friendships, true love, or a loyal, loving family?
Wealth can get you certain things that otherwise you would not be able to do or afford. With wealth can come more problems.
The benefits of a strong friendship are numberous. They can even lead to something more.
Love is tricky since there are different types of love. There are benefits and consquenses to each. Love can come from a strong friendship, which gives you a great foundation for a relationship.
A loyal and loving family can be your backbone and structure when you have nothing left. However, if you have nothing left, then you never had a true love, or a friendship strong enough to weather the storms that enter into each of our lives.

J-Dawg

Thursday Thirteen -- 06/28/07

HELLO! And welcome to another edition of the Thursday 13 -- Yeah, another hiatus, but dont fear...I am hoping that will be the last one for a little while.

Alot has happened to me over the last year, and there have been some real struggles. But this week, I am going to focus on 13 things over the past year that have been really positive in my life, and I hope it inspires you to create positives in your life too:

1. In no particular order, I am thankful for Elisa, Valerie, Rick, Bill, Mary Anne, Dawn, Ed, Kim, Kelli, Tom, and a whole host of other people I know I am forgetting...thank you for getting me through this past year. Whether it was by phone, text, email, or whatever method, it was appreciated.
2. I have spent more time with my kids recently. I have decided not to work as much as I was working (also helps that the OT hours arent there as they used to be). So this gives me more time with them. The other day, I got to go see my daughter's soccer practice. I am so happy to see her wanting to do sports too!
3. Little man and I got to spend time chasing each other around the playground that same day (more like me chasing him everywhere). He has no fear of anything - where ever he decides to walk, whether there are stairs there or not, he is safe. He thinks he walks on water :)
4. Chicago trip - I got to go to Chicago in May for work. Had 5 days in Chicago with a GREAT bunch of people. Great group outing -- Just a blast to start off a new "Me" (see below)
5. Even though my divorce is finalized, I can move on and still be happy. I cant change what happened. I can only say that I did my best, and nobody can ever say I didnt.
6. No more crappy feelings of guilt or whatever....I am focusing on the positives in my live which as of today have allowed me to lose 5 pounds in the last 2 weeks. :)
7. I got a HUGE compliment at work today. At work, we have been going through changes in how we dispatch our drivers. I have been one of the folks involved with this change. It is a major change, that has been almost a year in the making. With this change, I asked if I could roll this change out to the people I would be working with in Chicago, which was monumental. While in Chicago, a driver came over and said "Hey, sorry I wont get a chance to work with you (meaning me)" So I asked him why. His miles were down. He wasnt getting home on time. So after almost 45 minutes of talking to him, I convinced him to give me 60 days to work with him...He called me on Friday of last week and said that he had recinded his resignation, thanked me for taking care of him, and was so glad he stopped in that last day to see me. But the story gets better. My manager hears what is going on, he passes it on the to Vice Pres of Customer Service. He sents the story on to the President of CS, as well as the VP of Operations (who deals with all the high-level driver managers and Operating Managers). Today, on the Upper Management Conference Call, my name was mentioned with my story of this driver, to every Operating Center Manager and Team Operations Manager in the entire company, as well at the Senior Corporate Leadership. So there was only one person that wasnt on that call that will hear about it tomorrow, the CEO of Schneider!! HOW IS THAT for a happy thought! Talk aout humbling. I know they put on their pants the same way I do every day, but to have your name mentioned to so many High Level Managers....it just shows that my hard work and dedication to my job are being recognized by so many leaders.
8. 5732 more songs have been added to my server at home. I am at about 35% complete, bringing the total to almost 11,800 songs from my CDs I have cataloged onto my server.
9. Yogurt isnt a yucky thing! I have found 3 so far that I actually like! Although, you can keep the whipped chocolate one -- one word -- ICK!
10. Healthiness is a state of mind. Right now, I am hoping my mind is still somewhere in this state LOL One day at a time
11. Inspriations come in many forms. They made be little quips about yourself, a quick email from someone, or from a life events. I have been inspired this year to write from all of these experiences.
12. I have a new drink of choice -- Bacardi Razzzzzzz :) MMMmmmMMMmMMMMMmmmmm delish!
13. I am happy to be a regular TT13er...maybe next year, I can actually meet a few of you in my travels!

May ALL of you out there, have a wonderful week! Thank you for continuing to stop by here. And please, if you do, leave a little tidbit or comment or something! :)

J-Dawg

A New Realm

As of today, The Realm has taken on a new look -- a look that was well overdue. A friend of mine when "archive diving" as she put it, and came across an old post of mine begging for a Blogger Makeover ... and she heeded the call! Basically she transformed a template that was OK at best (but it was the only one I had ever used really) to one that I am proud of! SOOOO! Please let me know what you think of the new digs, and at the same time, say thank you to my friend Dawn for helping me out! Let her know what a great job she did!

Dawn, I can't thank you enough for all that you did! :)

J-Dawg

Seize the Moment

I know this one has been around a time or two, but it makes you think. To all of my friends, this one is for you :)

J-Dawg

READ THIS VERY SLOWLY... IT'S PRETTY PROFOUND.

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.

I got to thinking one day about all those people on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said , 'How about going to lunch in a half hour?' She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain' And my personal favorite: 'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because Americans cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches.. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect! We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a bit.'

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Roller blades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process.

The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-Decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now...go on and have a nice day.

Do something you WANT to...not something on your SHOULD DO list.

If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?

Make sure you read this to the end; you will understand why I sent this to you.

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask 'How are you?' Do you hear the reply? When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head?

Ever told your child, 'We'll do it tomorrow.' And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say 'Hi'? When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away....

Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

It's National Friendship and FAMILY WEEK Show your friends how much you care. Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND. If it comes back to you, then you'll know you have a circle of friends. To those I have sent this to... I cherish our friendship and appreciate all you do.

'Life may not be the party we hoped for... But while we are here we might as well dance!

An inspirational thought

A person I am glad to call a friend once said Don't underestimate the value of what you have to say, yourself. =) So here I am writing...because I am not going to underestimate my own writings!

SOOOOO .... I got the results back from my VisualDNA (See my fun little thing below)...and here is what it said:

PERSONALITY
MOODS: EASY RIDER
EASY RIDER - Always taking life how it comes and living in the moment. They dont get phazed by life. They just breeze through
You are a bit of a romantic and have a taste for the exotic. You love feeling the sea breeze in your hair and sun on your skin...Slip those shoes off... You like to kick back. When it comes to art, you apprciate flair and precision. highbrow and in the know, you've got an eye for fine detail. As for music, you're a focused listener and always on the look out for something new. Your music collection is your treasure. Your choice of treat reveals either real exhaustion, or maybe a bit of laziness? Either way you're never happier than when you are rugged, and snuggled up, eyes shut.

FUN: THRILLER
THIRLLER - They can make the best of any situation - always alot of fun to be around. They love to laugh, and have a bit of a naughty side.
Always the first to take the leap, you never look back - you try not to have regrets. You like to take the plunge: this attitude will give you a wealth of experience. For kicks you like to indulge in your great passions. You are happy to live life's highs and lows; you are fiercely loyal and passionate. You like to be part of something big. When it comes to holidays, you like to be immersed in a completely different world. It's a chance to explore activities that you don't have time for in day-to-day life. What grosses you out? Nobody is perfect but some bad habits aren't acceptable; you realize that health is wealth.

HABITS: JUNKIE MONKEY
JUNKIE MONKEY - They dont have rules, and they dont like restrictions. They make their own choices, and do as they please. For them, pleasure always comes first.
Even if you have a healthy approach to life, you still have your voices, and a craving for hunger drives your needs. So you'll supersize it, you love convenience, and that taste ... Ah yes, the old glass of wine or two - nothing beats it. After a long day, you like to curl up and unwind. Nothing beats relaxing the shoulders, loosening that tongue, and letting the day go by. As for the home, you are traditional: you invest in quality and history. You like your home to be stylish as you are.

LOVE: LOVE BUG
LOVE BUG - They are the type to fall in love 1000 times a day. Their feelings snowball quickly, and they are full of passion
A strong friendship is the basis for any loving relationship. You like to be able to share your whole life with your friends, family, and your partner. When you think of freedom - you think of being in charge of your direction. The open road and a full tank of gas can take you pretty much anywhere!

It's amazing how they know me so well!

J-Dawg

A fun little thing :)

Thanks Dawn! :)

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Saturday Thoughts to Ponder

It's been almost a month since I have posted, and alot has happened to me. Alot of it has been really good :) You know who you are. Thank you! (and just so you don't walk down the deviant path, it ain't like that!).

Tonight, the movie Hitch was on, and it is amazing the number of quotes from that movie that make you think - in the famous words of Arsenio Hall "Things that make you go Hmmmmmm!"

• 60% of everything you say is non-verbal
  30% is tone
  That means 90% of everything you say ISNT coming out of your mouth!
• You know what it's like getting up every morning feeling hopeless? Feeling like the love of your life is waking up with the wrong man? But at the same time, hoping that she still finds happiness... even if it's never gonna be with you?
• Basic principles: No matter what, no matter when, no matter who... any man has a chance to sweep any woman off her feet. Just needs the right broom.
• Life is not the amount of breaths you take
  Its the moments that take your breath away

A great movie with a few great lines. Lines that I feel are really true to life.

Have a wonderful weekend :)

J-Dawg

Thursday Thirteen --- 05/31/07

Hello everyone :) Welcome to my latest edition of the Thursday 13. A prelude before my TT13 thought.

I have had a 2-week hiatus mainly because of some issues I am dealing with. Part of which is what I am going to write about. For those who have been reading for awhile, you know that there have been a couple writings over the years dealing with personal issues, depression, weight problems. Recent events in my life had led me down these same paths, and the last couple of days I have felt like that giant run-away bowling ball, with nothing stopping it. Hence the hiatus two weeks ago. Last week, I just got busy with work and stuff...just didnt get a chance to do anything. It was probably a good thing. Working took my mind away from what has been on my mind. But it leads me to the avoidance piece. Avoid it long enough, maybe it will go away....it doesnt, but it was worth a shot.

So here are 13 things I would like to change (or are attempting to change) about myself - in no particular order:

1. My weight is still a struggle -- it comes and it goes and then it comes back again. This is not a new struggle. Just a struggle I cant seem to conquer.


2. My "everything is OK" facade -- There are days when everything is NOT OK...and I need to deal with those and stop acting like everything IS OK


3. My CD collection is all out of sorts. I started to organize them, and now I just need to finish that and get my collection on my server. I made a dent - I have about 20% (over 9000 songs) on there, tagged, and organized....I am getting there :)


4. DVD Collection -- see above, just nowhere NEAR 9000...more like 90 but I need to catalog and organize it


5. Let go of the past - Its over and done with -- move on!


6. Express true feelings without inhibition. Sometimes, I dont go as far as I would like to when I write. I stop mid-feeling...maybe from an inhibition or fear of rejection from my peers? who knows :)


7. Exercise - See #1 -- I need to get into a regiment of exercise regularly. I start then I stop then I start again, then I stop again


8. You have to love yourself before you can love anyone else. I need to find how to love myself again. To quote the great Righteous Brothers, I lost that loving feeling.


9. Since moving to Wisconsin I have also not found a church...I miss going to church.


10. Explore Wisconsin. There are so many parts of this state I have never seen.


11. Relax - I need to find some "ME" time. If you dont take time for yourself, you really should!


12. Some friends have asked for some music - I am actually going to get around to sending them out :) So its been since Christmas - I'm getting there!


13. Complete closet cleaning -- time to empty them out and redo them

Have a great week everyone!

J-Dawg

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Thoroughly Disgusted

After listening to ESPN Radio on the way home, I came to hear that my Orioles had blown a 5 run lead in the 9th to lose for the 2nd day in a row to the Boston Red Sox (I know Dawn is just LOVING that one!). How do you play 8 great innings of baseball and forget to show up in the 9th inning. I still dont understand this!

FUNDAMENTALS!!!

That is what is wrong with baseball today! Players have lost the art of fundamentals. They make their millions, and just expect that they will be ok on the field without focusing on their fundamentals. It is sickening to the core. Chris Ray has blown his 3rd save of the season. This included an error on Ray which allowed the winning run to score. FUNDAMENTALS!

I guess there is still a ray of light even with 2 back-2-back losses to Boston...we are still ahead of the Spank-me's, I mean, Yankees! As long as we keep finishing ahead of them, I am a happy camper.

Perlozzo needs to corral this team, and bring them back to the baseball they were playing in the first couple weeks of April...hard nosed, tough, fundamental baseball.

We have 3 at Toronto, an off day, then 3 at Washington. Hopefully we can come out of this with 4 wins (can I hope for 6?) before we start our 7 game homestand against Toronto and Oakland.

J-Dawg

Thursday 13 -- 05/10/07

Hello everyone! Welcome to another edition of the Thursday Thirteen. This week, I thought I would touch on 13 CDs that I say you just GOTTA own. And just so you know, I am trying to make sure all links on my site are setup to open in a new window for you!

1. Joe Satriani -- Surfing With The Alien (Click here for Website)
   This is a must own! Out of all of his CDs (I own them all but 1), this is by far his best. I rock this one like there is no tomorro!
2. Dream Theater -- Images and Words (Click here for Website)
   Although they received moderate success with one song off of this CD, this is by far their best effort to date. They do have a new CD out a couple weeks ago. I am still trying to get ahold of it.
3. Thunder -- Back Street Symphony (Click here for Website)
   A rock group that found minimal success in the US, but was HUGE in the UK. In New Mexico (of all places) it got a pretty good dose of airplay. I like this group for their melodic music -- its like being hard rock with harmony. Its like nothing else they play today.
4. Pantera -- Cowboys From Hell (Click here for Website)
   This one is probably the tightest record they ever did. I am a HUGE Pantera fan, so it was hard to narrow it down to just one, but this one is a solid 10 on the hard rock/heavy metal scene for sure.
5. Jazz For The Quiet Times (Click here for Website)
   This is probably one of the best jazz CD compellations I have ever found. This has everything from contemporary to smoothe to light jazz. I HIGHLY recommend this one!
6. Spyro Gyra -- Collection (Click here for Website)
   Everything Spyro Gyra is right here. You may be thinking to yourself "Who is the heck is Spyro Gyra?" Well, if you are, listen -- you might be surprised how many of these songs on this CD you may have heard before.
7. Evick -- Anachronism (Click here for Website)
   This is a band that a friend of mine from West Virginia (now North Carolina) plays in...Brad Puckett. He also has his own solo CD (rightfully a 7a) out. Evick is a band who has played with the likes of Jackyl, Poison (and The Brett Michaels Band) and others. Unless you are on the East Coast (mainly PA to FL) you probably have never heard of them. I really like their music. Word is, they are recording album #2 right now! A welcome addition to ANY CD colection. Show Pete some love and purchase their CD (or download from their site)
8. Brad Puckett -- Asynchronous (Click here for Website)
   Deserves a spot of his own :) This is his solo project and debut CD for Brad. He also has his songs available for download from his website.
9. The Alan Parsons Project -- The Instrumental Works (Click here for Website)
   For those who have never listened to this CD, its is the instrumental works of their hits over the years. This includes the song Hawkeye, which is a widely known song by most people, they just didnt know the actual name! :)
10. Styx -- Classics (Click here for Website)
    All the hits from the 70's and 80's from Styx -- all on one cd! You really can't go wrong!
11. Pink Floyd -- Echoes (Click here for Website)
    Every song you have ever heard from Pink Floyd in one collection. Again, how can you go wrong!
12. Metallica -- ...And Justice For All (Click here for Website)
    Again, I LOVE Metallica! I have all their albums, but this one to me was just a masterpiece from the open chords to the final fade.
13. Y&T -- Contagious (Click here for Website)
    A long lost band from the 80's that had a huge following even before there was a Metallica or Motley Crue...they set the stage along with AC/DC and Aerosmith. There is alot to be said for this band!

Don't fear!! These are not my top 13 of all time - these are just 13 I HIGHLY recommend you have in your CD collection...I hope you have enjoyed this little musical trip, and along the way, found some new music to load onto your MP3 player! Have a wonderful week!

J-Dawg

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of this is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things.

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Thursday Thirteen -- 05/03/07

Hello everyone - welcome to another edition of the TT13....I was debating on whether or not to do one this week. It has been a rough couple weeks for me...and to be perfectly honest I really wasnt inspired to write this week...but sitting here tonight trying to decide if I should write or not (first decision) then WHAT to write about (second dilema)...so I thought I would do another trip around the world, except this time I would see where Google sent me...so here we go -- 13 Random Locations, courtesy of Google®:

1. Random.ORG -- Yes, this is a legitimate website! Actually pretty cool!
2. Aloha.Com -- This was an "I'm Feeling Lucky" to sandy beaches
3. Sunrises -- This was an "I'm Feeling Lucky" to Sunrises
4. Electronic Piracy -- I was listening to Epic from Faith No More so that was my I'm lucky this time -- Epic
5. Kickball -- My buddy Bill was playing Kickball tonight so I thought what the heck!
6. For All my Dawg’s!! -- Kinda funny actually!
7. Crabs! -- This is my "I'm Feeling Lucky" for Crabs
8. Science -- My lucky button led me here!
9. Tall Buildings - The things you can find on the internet sometimes!
10. Youth revisited -- Hey, why not! :)
11. 11 Things You Dont Learn in School -- Yeah, not from Bill Gates, but dang funny!
12. Great American Gas-Out -- As much as I wish it worked......
13. A Real Sense of Humor -- Click on get directions ... get directions from New York NY to Paris, France...hit Get Directions, and read #24 and tell me SOMEONE at Google isnt laughing every time someone asks for these directions!

I hope you all had fun :) Enjoy your week!

J-Dawg

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of this is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things.

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Thursday 13 -- 04/26/07

Hello! Welcome to another edition of the Thursday Thirteen :) First, I would like to answer a question from Amy from last week's TT13. Personally, I would go with DirectTV for satellite and internet combined. I know for me when I had Dish Network and went from regular to Local and Regular dish, my signal became even more finnicky. It would be Sunny and not a cloud in the sky and I would lose signal. My dad had DirecTV for years and never had an issue and he was in the mountains surrounded by trees...and I know they use very similar dishes and signals. I say go with DirecTV if you want internet through a satellite provider! Now, on to today's TT13 -- This week, I am giving you 13 of my favorite mixed drinks or shots while you are out on the town:

1. Jack & Dry -- this would be a mixed drink of Jack Daniels and Canada Dry Ginger Ale -- make it TALL -- make it COLD -- make it good! :)
2. Malibu & Dr. Pepper -- if you have never tried this, this is sometimes referred to as Texas Tea -- buy a 1-litre Dr. Pepper. Take a chug. Fill it back up with Malibu. (gently turn your bottle upside down and right-side up to mix -- GENTLY!!) Mmmmmm delish!
3. Black Knights -- NOW, first of all, I am not much of a Jaegermeister drinker, but this shot is the best! Pour VERY VERY slowly, Rumplemints, then Jaegermeister, then Aftershock in a high-hat shot glass...and if poured slowly and correctly, it will separate into 3 separate layers...slammed tastes like peppermint candy! After 3, you have the best breath in all the county!
4. UV Blue and 7-up...mmmmmm smoothe!A shot of blue UV in a tall glass of 7-up!
5. Rum & Coke -- a traditional fair with a couple mushrooms on a schtick :) Best with regular rum, not coconut rum (and no diet! what's the sense in drinking if you are going to do it with a diet soda?! ICK!)
6. Malibu Bay Breezes -- My brother-in-law likes these....actually not bad if I do say so myself!
7. Gin and Granbery Juice -- My sister's favorite (one of many)...it also depends on the mood she is in apparently :) She also likes
8. Mai Thais
9. Jose Cuervo Marguaritas and
10. Pina Coladas
11. Jaegie Bombs -- this is pretty popular up here in Wisconsin -- Red Bull and a shot glass of Jaegermeister...people seem to like them - they are on sale EVERYWHERE!
12. 7 & 7's -- Seagrams 7 and 7-up ... mmmmmm tasty!
13. Patrone Silver -- apparently its the "it" thing -- I never heard of it til last week when I went out with people I work with in our Atlanta and Houston offices.

In the famous words of my good friend Zonk "I have but one liver to give to my alcoholism." and if you go out, drink responsibly. Have fun :) And try something new! Have a great week :)

J-Dawg

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of this is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things.

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11 years ago

At 620am 11 years ago, a very big piece of my life went to be with the Lord after a 13 year battle with cancer. Pop (my grandfather) was a great person. I remember fishing with him and my father on the banks of the Shenandoah River. I remember learning how to cut grass with the riding lawnmower. I remember when Pop and Ma (my grandmother -- gee, can ya tell we's SOUTHERN?) would come to my little league baseball games. I remember when Pop would let me change the gears in his Rabbit while he drove on the back country roads. I remember going to get YooHoo's at the country store.
I remember that day like it was yesterday. I used to drive truck for the same company I work for still to this day (Schneider National Carriers)...and I made it a habit to call home to both my Dad and my grandparents on Tuesdays and Saturdays just to let them know I was OK....that particular Tuesday (23rd) I had blown a tire and had to get it fixed. By the time I was done that night, and parked at the truck stop, it was 11pm. I just thought I would call first thing in the morning. I didnt want to wake them up. I was in Rock Springs, Wyoming that night. Whenever I was on the road, my dad would always send messages to my truck's computer to call home, and he always made sure to ask that "non-emergency" be put on the message. When I woke up on the morning of the 24th, to the beeping of the computer. I read the message that said "Call Home"...and I knew something was wrong. So I walk into the restaurant, and asked the waitress to be seated in the farthest most part of the restaurant, and she did. I was away from everyone. I made that call home from my table, and found out that Pop had passed away. I spent the next 90 mins trying to compose myself, take a shower, and try to make arrangements. The waitress was so kind. She kept asking if there was anything she could do. At the end of the meal, I went to pay, and she said that the manager will be picking up my tab and to drive safely home to my family.
As I walked back out to my truck, I happened to see another Schneider truck pulling out of the truck stop. I didnt think twice about that truck until a short time later. I received a message from my manager that I was going to be swapping loads with another driver so that I could get home to Dallas to fly home and to meet him at the Flying J truck stop in Laramie, WY. A short while later I met the other driver at the truck stop and swapped loads. I offered him a coffee for his trouble. As we walked back out from the store, he told me that this was the 2nd time in three days he had swapped loads with another Schneider driver to get them home for a family emergency. I appreciated his gesture, shook his hand, and he just asked that if anyone ever needed something that I would hopefully return the gesture someday. I never had a problem swapping loads with someone to get them home.
So I took off from Laramie, bound for Dallas TX. From that point, I was still about 1000 miles from home. I pretty much drove straight through to get home, only stopping for 4 hours in Amarillo for a quick nap, food, shower, and then proceeded to lock my keys in my truck...When I got to Dallas, I parked my truck, drove over to the airport in my personal vehicle, and got my tickets home.
I remember the sermon from Brother Keith...it was 1 Thessalonias 5:4-11. If you have a chance, read these words. Brother Keith's words I can still here being spoken today. I can hear his powerful voice as he sang that morning. I can remember the fellowship afterwards. A rememberance of a beautiful life.
Today is about remembering :) I miss you Pop. I wish you could see me now!

Love
#1 Grandson

Thursday 13 -- 4/19/07

Good morning everyone and welcome to another edition of the Thursday 13 -- Last week, sorry I missed that one but it could not be avoided...my Cable provider and I were at odds over a charge that appeared on my bill...so I questioned it...told them I wasnt going to pay it, so they turned off my internet (let me keep the cable but cancelled my internet!!) ANYWAY, after 3½ days it was finally resolved, but by then it was Friday afternoon....and I just figured to wait until this week to discuss the 13 things I REALLY hate about Time-Warner Cable:

1. Customer Service -- it is ATROCIOUS!!! They have so little in the way of customer service I still cannot believe they are an multi-million dollar company
2. THEY ARE A MONOPOLY!! Look up monopoly in the dictionary - it says SEE TIME-WARNER CABLE. Regardless of what they say, if my choices for cable are THEM and that is it, they are a monopoly!
3. Rates -- 2nd highest in the nation for basic service. Another reason I cannot stand this god-forsaken state (4th highest fuel cost ranks right up there with this one).
4. HBO -- In order to get HBO you have to upgrade to Digital Cable and get a box- two things I DO NOT want to do. WHY? Well, since I use one cable outlet for my TV and one cable outlet for my computer, I will get charged for two digital service connections --- even though I have no plans of moving my home theater, couches, and everything else, into the nittle nook in my dining room area where my computer is...its about $2 a month, but its still a crock! and I WILL NOT have a box - I HATE cable boxes!!
5. Incidental charges -- they cant explain why I was charged for them, but they INSIST I am responsible for paying them. I explain if you cant tell me what they are for, I am not paying them....hence the circle of life.
6. Lack of listening skills -- Last week, I had a CSR on the phone and when I wasnt getting the satifaction (or attention) I thought I deserved in reference to #5, I requested to speak to his supervisor. After about 4 minutes of really cheezy musak (wasnt even the good stuff!) he comes back on the line and states "My supervisor states that the incidental charges are your responsibility so they need to be paid in order to get your internet restored"....maybe I wasnt clear enough when I asked that I speak to his supervisor, NOT that he speak to his supervisor FOR me...now my blood pressure is about 400 over 350 and climbing by the syllable out of this guy's mouth! Now I should have prefaced this by saying that I work in the customer service arena...and no, it is not my practice to ask for a supervisor right away...HOWEVER, if I feel that I have not been given the attention or service I think I deserve, then you betcha! I will ask for one :)
7. Conglomerates -- I hate uber-super-conglomerate companies -- you are just a number -- nuff said there. See #1
8. Competition -- the only way to get high-speed internet without going through cable is to go through AT&T (which used to be SBC, which used to be Ameritech after it broke off from AT&T after de-regulation in 1986)....interesting -- the same company they made break up is back together again -- and OH, you cant get internet without getting a phone service. I have a cellphone - I dont need another phone...but since you are forcing me to get a phone to get internet, how much is it you ask?? Least expensive plan NOT including internet is $38.79 + tax and tip every month...no frills - just a dialtone. Add to that the internet makes it over $90 a month...what a rip! and it is still only 1/3 as fast as my cable.
9. A-la-carte -- it doesnt exist unless you get a cable box -- and then, if you have over a certain number of channels, they charge you more to just get the channels you want than if you just got the package with all the crap you will NEVER watch. I am sorry, but I dont need 6 shopping channels on just my basic service. NHL is on the Vs Network this year (not part of it) andNascar has a couple races on SPEED Channel (again, not part of my package)...
10. Oh! Network -- Now let's see - I get Lifetime, Lifetime Movies, Lifetime Women's Network, and the Oh! Channel....Oh! golly why wont you just give me the channels ***I*** want to see! Sorry but I dont need to see the same crap I try to avoid on regular TV that is rerun on Oh!
11. When I had Dish Network, I had my local channels, but for an additional $5 a month I could add a national market to my dish...I liked having Milwaukee or Dallas or a National CBS/NBC/ABC etc --- I got good national news that way....cant do that with cable.
12. Why is it if I am on ESPN and I am watching a show, and a commercial comes on, the commercial is 10x louder than the show? And if I change the channel, the next channel is either softer or louder than the prev channel? The sound sometimes, to me, has some serious issues.
13. I just dont like how smug they are -- like losing me is no big deal - well 1 person tells 10 people about this little episode, if on 20& of those people tell 10 more of their friends, in just a little while, my one experience just got passed to over 200 poeple. I bet they would notice a mass exodus of 200 people.

I hope all of you are doing well. I hope to have a comment's blog up sometime soon :) Until then, be safe and enjoy!

J-Dawg

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of this is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things.

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Happy Easter

First of all, I would like to wish everyone who is a regular reader here, a Happy Easter and a blessed weekend. If not for Him, we would not have redemption or salvation. Each day, thank Him for what we have :)

Tonight while in the midst of trying to clear the thoughts inside my head (anyone seen my helmet? LOL) there was a song that all of the sudden popped into my head. The song is Tonight I Wanna Cry by Keith Urban. The lyrics kinda stuck with me....and I dont know if it were by chance, but then I went to read a blog I read very regularly and there was the song again...almost like fate. I was on the phone talking and then I heard the song playing! So I had to sit down and just freewrite.

In just a couple weeks, April 24th to be exact, it will be 11 years since my grandfather died. I remember the day I found out like it was yesterday. His days of pain and suffering were no more. I am reminded of his funeral and the verses that were read (click here to view the verses) by Pastor Keith. I am reminded of that day, as the sun shined down on us, and the dinner we had afterwards. I am also reminded of one of my favorite verses of the bible Isaiah 53:5 which reads "...But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed." This was the "battle-cry" if you will, for one of my all time favorie bands, Stryper.

Tonight, my sister called me up and told me she was making our grandmother's famous crabcakes...I can see her making them now...and even though it has been over 6 years since she died (Jan 12th), I can still see her making them in her kitchen, with her cast-iron skillet, and that sweet savory smell of Old-Bay Seasoning. Thank you for bringing a smile to my face today :)

This past week's TT13 was kind of like a prelude to my writing tonight, although when I wrote it, I had no idea I would be writing this tonight. Today is a day to be thankful of those around us. I am thankful for each person in my life. Whether we have met before in person or not, in some way shape or form there is a bond there...of similarity, life experiences, triumphs, and sadness. We share these experiences in the hopes that there are people out there who understand what it is that we deal with on a daily basis. For me, my writings are a release of what I am thinking at that moment, or what is building up inside of me. At first, I thought I could write to be funny or whimsical. But then I found that I could write, to just be me. Then I found out other people would read what I wrote, and let me know what they thought of my writings. It inspired me to continue to do this. So in me, is inspiration from you. And this medium, a way to relate and release.

With that, I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful holiday weekend!

J-Dawg

Thursday 13 -- 04/05/07

Hey everyone! Hopefully everyone is doing well. So this week, I thought I would focus on 13 Things that make me happy. And just so you know, these are in no-way any particular order :)

1. My kids – They are the light of my life – every day I get to spend with them makes me happy. This weekend is Easter. I cant wait to see how they react to their Easter baskets.
2. My family -- my family is my centerpoint. They keep me grounded. They bring me up when I am down. They celebrate with me the happy times. I dont know where I would be without mine. I love my sister and my dad and my mom.
3. Baseball season – IT IS FINALLY Here – I am happy! I am happier when I am actually at a stadium, watching live baseball, but I will be just as happy just to watch it at home.
4. NASCAR – I love racing – it is WAY more than just driving in circles, and is WAY more than just a redneck sport…although if they start naming the cup or any race after feminine hygiene products, I might have to put my foot down…but to quote the great Larry the Cable Guy "…and here comes the#7 Jack Daniels car being followed very closely by the #50 Coca Cola chaser car" :)
5. Working on computers - I get a charge out of fixing other people's computer problems :) HEY, why do you think I have my own computer business.
6. Spring (well, if it will come here and STAY!) I like the nicer weather - I can get out and do things. Although last week we hit the upper 70's and 81 one day. Today it was 34 for a high, and 35, 34, 37, and 35 for the next 4 days highs. OY!
7. Did I mention my kids? Well, since I have two, I can mention them twice :)
8. Shows about preparing seafood. Dont know what it is but every time I watch one, I think of my grandma making her crabcakes in the cast iron skillet...I can taste them now
9. Finding new music. I recently heard of a band names LoNero and they are so awesome! Pure rock, no ego trips - just music. Check them out here.
10. My Blogger friends....I enjoy taking the time to read what people write (as much as I can with my schedule sometimes)....although I am still not where I want to be in getting to comment on everyone's page...I really am trying though!
11. My friend Luis was in town on Sunday - we got to go to dinner and just relax for a couple of hours and shoot the breeze. He wanted to buy me dinner for helping him out all the time like I do with whatever it is he needs help with. I tried to tell him its what friends are for. Its nice that after 11+ years, and living over 1000 miles apart that we can get together from time to time and just hang out.
12. Alone time - I like the fact that if I need to just "be" that I can just "be" without having to justify my actions. If I wanna just be, I can just be....no questions asked :)
13. Me time - Again, no need to justify time for me -- if I want time to go to dinner with a friends, watch the NCAA tourney at a bar with a friend, whatever .. I can just do it and just have some Me time.

I hope you have enjoyed this little diddy. Have a wonderful week everyone!

J-Dawg

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of this is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things.

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

MLB Opening Day and NCAA Final Game

Well, today was Opening Day for the 2007 Major League Baseball season. I have high hopes for the Baltimore Orioles this year. I am hoping for at least 86-76 this year (if not better -- better is always good!) Today, they lost 7-4 in Minneapolis to the Twins...so we are starting 0-1. But...the O's are traditionally a 2nd half team...so I dont worry too much in the early weeks - just as long as we dont start 0-21 :)

Tonight, the final game of the NCAA Tournament happened. To collect on my Super Bowl bet win, I got treated to beer and wings....so...just before the game, we made ANOTHER bet...he had OSU, and I had Florida...I bet Florida would win 82-76, and he bet OSU would win 75-68....well Florida won tonight 85-74 (DAMN I was close!)I was 46-17 in the brackets this year, beating out Rick (AKA The Commish)...HOWEVER, to Rick's defense, I was on the phone with him during the last 42 seconds...Rick had "9" as the number on his board, meaning if the final digits for each team (IE 85-74 --- 5+4 = 9)then he would win -- well - HE WON!!! And proceeded to scream at the top of his lungs that he won! I kept telling him OSU 3 plus Florida 2 free-throws and he would win -- and sure enough!! :) It was a great night. Had a great time out with my friend Mark from work...

It was a good night -- I needed a night like tonight - no worries :) Just release....

J

Thursday Thirteen -- 03/29/07 -- 25th Edition

Hello everyone! Welcome to my 25th edition of the Thursday Thirteen...as promised over at Haley-O's site (click over on the left column)...last week she did 13 celebrities that she just loves to hate -- WELLLLLLL I kinda got on a roll, and started...and then said Hmmm this would be a great start to my 13 this week...so here they are

OK here are the celebrities I love to hate that were NOT mentioned in Haley's post (although Tom Cruise?? I actually like him as an actor”When’s he gettin back in the plane!”).....

1. Anna Nicole Smith - OK almost dead a month, buried, let her rest
2. Nicole Richie - If it wasnt for her dad, she would be a nobody (same goes for Paris Hilton as well…but who’s counting right?)
3. Brittany Spears - put her in the same category as K-Slime…so she farted in her car yesterday…who gives a rip! This is NOT front page news. I farted at Taco Bell once (or twice) — it happens!
4. Angelina Jolie / Brad Pitt - again, who cares that they went to Vietnam (or wherever they went to) to get a kid - plenty of them here they could have had — alot less money!
5. Ty Pennington - Someday soon that megaphone is gonna get shoved right up your whooohaaaa!!!!!!!
6. Reality TV Hosts - Intervention is reality TV — American Idol, Deal or No Deal, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, LOST- these shows are just annoying - over-dramatized drama that has virtually no reality in it. The only reality is this - that with enogh publicity, any vote can be strayed, and at least once a year, some idiot gets a recording contract who doesnt deserve one - last year it was William Hung. Sorry, but reality TV to me is The Cosby Show, Intervention (A&E if you have never heard of it), The First 48 (also A&E) and Deadliest Catch.
7. Jessica Simpson - Just goes to prove, with implants, anyone can be a star - just look at Tara Reid (and that mess of a plastic surgery debachery)
8. Dick Vitale (ESPN NCAA Basketball Announcer) OK It was cute when he first did it “YEAH BABY! We’re tawkin basketball baby!”…his “BABY” days are far more annoying, overdramatized, and WAY over used and played for my likes.
9. Kobe Bryant -- what a smug, arrogant, ball-hogging, egotistical player you are...I think it is great that you took you team on your shoulders and scored 60...but to score >50 point in 5 out of 6 games....that my friend definitely put the "I" in team...you are your own entity -- but the 4 others you play with, I feel sorry for.
10. Simon Cowell -- Go back to England you freakshow! You and your smugness - do you get off belittling people? How drull!!!!
11. The Olsen Twins (cant remember if you said them or not now) -- Anyway, I dont care that they have soooooooo much going on in their lives they cant find time to eat, or party as much as they would like - welcome to the real world - CJ and Danny are still making money!! Get a job, grow up, and move on
12. Lindsay Lohan (YEAH I know she was mentioned) but if I have to hear one more heartbreak story (ok, one more story that just turns my stomache having to sit through) about her parent's divorce, and how she couldnt handle rehab (more like a week at the Hilton - if you want to see rehab, go on Intervention)....I swear I am going to ralf...they have NO idea what the real world is like...they would last a DAY in the shoes of most of us.
13. Vern Troyer -- You made a couple movies, and now you are downgraded to a 3rd-rate reality (not) TV show, where you piss in the corner naked on your scooter, and try to pick up Tracy Bingham when she is drunk....you got issues little man!

I hope you have enjoyed this...stick around and read other TT13s by clicking on the label ... and please leave a comment! Have a wonderful week everyone!

J-Dawg

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of this is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things.

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Thoughts of Times Past

Hello everyone . I am trying a new font - just to see if I like it or not -- Personally, I like it - what do you think? Let me know!

Anyhow, do you ever get those thoughts in your head, basically you are sitting there and all the sudden you think of something from your past, and it is so vivid, its like it happened yesterday?? The other day, I was talking to my buddy Bill, and all the sudden, a vivid recollection of days past entered my mind (grab a helmet, you might need one!) and all the sudden it was 1990, and I was back in Albuquerque. And not like the "OH, that was a nice memory"...NO, this was like "WOW, that happened just yesterday" kind of memory.

Wanna hear another good one?

Tonight it happened again! Heard from someone who I havent talked to in what seems like ages and forever, and all the sudden, like the last time we talked was yesterday.

Maybe its just the fact that I have so much going on in my life, my mind is trying to tell me not to forget the little things (and/or big things too)....or maybe my mind is in such an overdrive state that the only way to ground myself is to think of the things that bring back happy thoughts/happy feelings. Maybe its just all in mind

Nuff said there (like I said, grab a helmet)

Could part of it be that I have yet to accept the fact that the life I once knew will no longer be, and that anything I do to better my situation will only worsen it for me in the long run? For those of you who know what I am currently going through, you know what I mean. I try to take two steps forward to try and get ahead, only to be knocked back 3-5 steps...and right now, I feel like I am knocked down for a 10 count...and I no longer want to fight. As much as I try each and every day to look forward to that day in a positive manner, I find myself feeling low, down, down on myself, and lethargic to life some days. Like today...woke up to foggy clammy 45 degrees (after yesterday it being 81!)...just put me into a mood of BLAH and all I wanted to do was camp out and do NOTHING!! To quote the great Peter Gibbons (for those who have seen Office Space) "...I did nothing -- and it was EVERYTHING I thought it could be!"...and honestly, it was nice to do nothing today. I kinda wish I would have gotten out after 3pm when the sun FINALLY poked her head out from behind th foggy haze, but I didnt -- I just lulled in the corner of the couch.

As I sit here reading it for the third time, contemplating just hitting DELETE and not posting this I wonder this - would I be doing any good by typing stuff, then hitting delete instead of publish?

In the famous words of Arsenio Hall...."things that make you say HHHMMMMmmmmm!'

J

New additions -- and some baseball

Hello everyone!

You might notice there are some additions to the CHOICE READINGS section...these are fellow bloggers. Stop by and say HI to Haley-O, Mr & Mrs Duck (Philly Transplant and Mrs Philly Transplant), Southern Girl, and Dawn (from along the Broken Road).

Also, not to rub it in Dawn, but as I sit here typing this little message, I am watching the








take on your












I know you love the BoSox...I will have a hot-dog and a beer while I watch the game and hope that you are getting to watch the game in person :)

J-Dawg

NCAA Bracket Update (and so much for sleeping)

Just thought I would let you know that so far, I am 44-10 (although I lost my title winner but that is OK)...you can check out my up-to-date bracket HERE (it will open a new window).

Enjoy!

151 Questions

I found this on another TT13'ers blog and thought -- what the heck! I cant sleep anyway, so why not give it a shot, so here we go:

Below is a list of Life Events. Please post this on your blog, making BOLD the things you have done.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer (do now)
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign (tried to in high school – remember Bill??)
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured an ancient site
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played Dungeons & Dragons for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Swam with the manatees (since there was no 84, I made it up!)
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently well enough to have a decent conversation
95. Performed in Rocky Horror Picture Show
96. Raised (raising) children (child)
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Travelled to Canada (another missing question?)
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived (close enough, was supposed to be in a car that I lost 2 friends on mine in)
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach (Why would I do that?!??!!?)
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts (more times that some smaller PC companies)
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ (and even got to show my skillz at my best-friends wedding!)
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life
151. Finished a marathon ( somedays, I cant even DRIVE a marathon, let alone RUN one!)

~~WHEW!!!~~~ OK I am ready to sleep now :)

J-Dawg