NaBloPoMo Day 30 - The End. Period.

Day Thirty. Endgame. I did not fail. I rock. Again.

I really can't believe that I accomplished this month-long-daily-posting thing - and yet, I still have a lot to say. And music to share. If you care.

Interestingly enough, I am saddened by the fact that I haven't visited many of my blogger friends in the past month. OR in the past few months. But I will...and I will respond to comments, as always.

But you know, I started this blog to have an outlet for expression and to find out what YOU were thinking...and I'm so thankful that so many of you share your thoughts with me.

I will return to visit you all soon...all of my faithful readers...I have enjoyed blogging this month! For now, enjoy one of my "new" favorite groups...Paramore:

And imagine me and The Offspring, thumping in the Intrepid, singing along.

NaBloPoMo Day 29 - Life in the Country. Or Not.

Day Twenty Nine.

Ever since moving into our new home, I've had to get used to "country life." I know, I only live 2/10 of a mile outside the city limits...but remember, I'm a CITY girl at heart. Big city...like Houston kinda city. Even living in my small town seems extremely rural and isolated.

Across the road from our home are several pastures. Do you see what I see in this photo?There is a hay bale in that sunny spot of field. And atop that bale? Not just one, but TWO birds of prey. Zoomed in and cropped...you can see them. We usually break out the binoculars to spy.
Another afternoon, we spied something in roughly the same pasture. Can you tell what it might be?
Zooming in, we spot a deer! It's amazing how far one can see with the naked eye.Here is another little critter that ended up on the hood of my car. Well, he ended up there after I was terrorized by several people, as they shook him in my face. Menacingly.

Naturally, as things go...he was worse for the ordeal than I was.

I'll get used to living here - I know I will. And the dog has already been skunked once, and I survived that. I love the peace and quiet...but the critters? Gonna take some getting used to.

NaBloPoMo Day 28 - Blast from the Past

Day Twenty Eight.

I know this will date me, but I used to watch "WKRP in Cincinnati" as a kid growing up. And I loved the theme song. I admit it.

Making the rounds this Thanksgiving - one of the most popular episodes of that show. Enjoy a scene from "Turkeys Away:"

Hope you had a GREAT Thanksgiving!

NaBloPoMo Day 27 - Happy Fat Bird Day

Day Twenty Seven.

Giving Thanks.

There are so many things I am thankful for this year, not the least being that I can wake up in the morning, step out on my porch and enjoy the first light through the trees.
I'm also grateful that I HAVE this porch - a year ago, this house was still under construction, and I could only dream of what it would be like to live here.

Now, I sit on my porch, and gaze at the mountain, which gives me peace.But most of all, I'm thankful for this person in my life:She brightens every day, and if I lost everything and everyone else in my world? Well, she'd be enough to sustain me.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

NaBloPoMo Day 26 - A Show is in Our Future

Day Twenty Six.

Guess who we are going to see in concert exactly one month from today? It is The Offspring's birthday, and I convinced her that her 16th would be a MUCH better birthday for which to host a 100-teenager party. For the 15th? Definitely need to go to this concert instead:

Have any of you see this group live? I expect they will rock a little more than Mannheim Steamroller. If you have seen this group, let me know.

Sure hope those chicks with the nightgowns don't flounce around the stage the whole time, though.

NaBloPoMo Day 25 - Worse Than Marnie

Day Twenty Five.

The other day, or month, or whenever she decides to randomly post, Marnilicious questioned her own sanity, as she had become transfixed and enamored with the lastest video from Britney Spears. Well, obviously, I'm no better. In fact, I may indeed be a lower life form in comparison. Why? Because recently, I've been hooked on this:

I have a few issues with the video...mostly b/c it implies a relationship between a much older Paris and a young boy. But the song is SO CATCHY, and I love the lyrics...and as we all know, that's what COUNTS.

NaBloPoMo Day 24 - Fun Monday High

Day Twenty Four - hey, this is almost over, isn't it?

Mariposa is this week's Fun Monday hostess, and she wanted to know about those 3-5 "high" moments in our lives. NOT what you are thinking...but those moments when we felt "on top of the world." Or something like that.

My "first" high is easy - the birth of my daughter. Especially since that day marked the first time I had ever met someone who was my actual blood relative. (Click here if you missed out on all that drama.)

Another "high" that always catches me off guard is when I hear The Offspring sing. She has been singing since she was a wee thing, but now when she is performing I am overcome with emotion. It doesn't hurt that she has sung with a talented all-region choir for the past three years, not to mention a select auditioned group at school and a special group at choir camp. These perfomances tend to move me to tears.

And an everyday "high" also involves MUSIC. I can't live without it, in one form or another...I honestly think I would be lesser of a person if I didn't have a broad musical background and the opportunity to listen on a daily basis.

I was late to Fun Monday today, so forgive the short post! Be sure to go check out all the other participants!

NaBloPoMo Day 23 - Jammin' with Justin

Day Twenty Three.

Do you love SNL?? Well, I love Justin Timberlake on SNL. If you haven't seen the actual skit he did with Beyonce, here is a taste:

I hope they don't remove this before it posts to my blog...it is interspersed with the actual video. Justin, is on the far left. Enjoy!

NaBloPoMo Day 22 - Winkin' and Slayin'

Day Twenty Two.

I know I could make a drinking game out of this video. However, I just could NOT take my eyes off the guy in the background. Palin is fairly oblivious, but I suppose animal slaughter is a common thing in her world. Just not something I witness on a daily basis. Watch if you dare.

In a weird way, I'm kinda glad to see her again. Brings back memories of the election.

Happy Thanksgiving, Ya'll!

NaBloPoMo Day 21 - We Really Rock

Day Twenty-One.

If you follow me at all on Twitter, you may have read a tweet or two about band practice. This is for reals, ya'll.

When we designed our home, one of our requirements was a music studio...part of the house, but over the garage. This portion of our home has extra insulation, and eight-foot walls, so that Roger can hang his guitars there. I was able to snap a quick photo from my cell phone one night:This was taken at an impromptu practice...the sleeping bag hoisted on the wall is for baffling. You can't really see it, but there is a monster monitor on the bottom right hand corner of the photo. Our lead singer is going thru song lists and lyrics in the middle of the photo, sitting down.

I've been a musician all my life...but there is a man playing the digital piano who is FAR more talented than me. I just fill in as a backup vocalist for the real talent in the group.

We are NOT playing country. No gospel. But we are having organized band practices, every Friday night...and by next Spring, we may be ready to go live. After only two months, we have four songs down almost to perfection. Now we are working on our next set. We have practice for sure tonight!

Any suggestions for songs you would like to hear? And feel free to guess what music we've dabbled with so far!

NaBloPoMo Day 20 - Election Withdrawals

Day Twenty.

Is it just me? Or do you feel a little bit of letdown, now that the election is over? (Well, over for most - I guess for Al Franken, it will be a while.) Seriously, when all the commercials were popping up on each channel and the yard signs were cluttering yards, I was ready for the election to be HISTORY. But now? Now I'm having DT's.
I miss the media coverage the most, I suppose. It was truly insane, and more entertaining than I gave it credit for at the time. Every night, I would be sure to watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, in case I missed a media feeding frenzy. Often, I would learn many new adjectives in the process. Most of them akin to "colossal."

Somehow, the announcement of new cabinet members just doesn't give me my fix. A week of Palin interviews helped stem the tide of my depression...but now? Now...I'm in a funk.

Am I alone in this? Is anyone else experiencing this phenomenon?

NaBloPoMo Day 19 - A Random Meme!

Day Nineteen.

Thanks to Richies, a blogger who lives in the SAME TOWN as your dear Tiggerlane, I have a meme to help me finish this month of assignments! Here are the rules (I love rules):

1. Link to the person who tagged you. (Done!)
2. Post the rules on your blog. (Done!)
3. Write six random things about yourself. (THAT is going to be hard.)
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them. (Easy!)
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog. (Okay - six blogs and comments in an hour - I can do it!)
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up. (Will do!)

And just for fun, here is a RANDOM painting of my dad's:
At first, I thought this would be really difficult, since I have done this meme so many times. Then I remembered: I have many new readers...who don't know my randomness. So, if I repeat something that you already know about me, please forgive me and remember, it's for the love of the newbies, k?

1. I have no idea what day, time or place I was born. No clue. If you are not familiar with this little fact, click this link, go to "Show all posts," and read from the earliest post forward. Or don't, and revel in the mystery.

2. My second toe is longer than my big toe. That's random.

3. I still sleep with a teddy bear (NOT my husband).

4. I actually enjoy public speaking. Doesn't bother me in the least to train or present to crowds numbering in the thousands.

5. I still have one wisdom tooth in my head, needing to come out.

6. Even though I live in the South, I have NEVER gone hunting.

Okay - here are the victims:
SayreSmiles
Karmyn R at Dreaming What Ifs
Desert Songbird at The Ice Box
M@, b/c he LOVES to be tagged and he is the KING of random.
Bond on the Big Leather Couch
Spellbound

Done!

NaBloPoMo Day 18 - Gettin' Pussed

Day Eighteen.

I can't believe I've made it more than halfway thru this challenge!

Now, before you get all wonky at the title of this post, it is NOT what you think. THIS is what the title refers to:
That is The Offspring with our cat, Whiskas. Whiskas has a habit of making herself comfortable upon any member of the family (and a friend or two) who sits still long enough to let her. We call this "gettin' pussed."

She will then purr incessantly, post-pussing. The worst time is at night, when I am her favorite victim. I like to start out sleeping on my side...and Whiskas will lay upon me, her body stretched along my side...her head on my shoulder. Sounds real cute, doesn't it? Well, it's NOT. Because the next step in the pussing is when she takes her paw, CLAWS EXTENDED, and snags my lips. No glass of warm milk or dose of Valium will allow me to sleep thru the torture. Not to mention the loud purring in my ear.

And when I turn? She doesn't budge. I have to turn and hoist her off me, and as soon as I am settled on my other side, she climbs back on. I've had lovers who were less clingy.

Sometimes, when I get into bed, she has already pussed Roger. Then I laugh and giggle that he is the victim, not me. Of course, he is usually lying on his back, with Whiskas on his chest. Still reaching for his lips, with that crazy paw. However, as soon as the lights are out, I get pussed. All thru the night, I toss and turn and shove and move that cat, and just like a magnet, she returns.

Purring and pussing - she is the reason I have bags under my eyes.

NaBloPoMo Day 17 - Fun Monday Talismania

Day Seventeen.

M is for Misanthrope is the host of this week's Fun Monday...and has a fun topic: Do you have a piece of jewelry or other item that holds great personal significance for you, and that you wear or keep with you every day? Show us a photo of your talisman, and tell us why it is so important to you.

I know we're not supposed to "repost," especially during NaBloPoMo, but I just HAD to...because my post from February 19, 2007, was too poignant not to repeat...

Much like a gypsy - I always wear several gold rings. A total of FOUR on my wedding finger, my Texas Aggie ring, my MBA ring, and then, my most prized - I've worn it on my left hand ring finger for almost 21 years.
I received this ring from my grandmother - my mother's mom. Before you get all in a twitter, I'm talking about the only family I've ever known - my adoptive family. My grandmother attended Marlborough School, a prestigious all-girls' high school in Los Angeles, CA. The inscription inside the ring is "BCM 1934," for Barbara Corinne Morrow - graduated in 1934. My grandmother sent it to me shortly before my own high school graduation in 1986. The crest and lettering were once clearly defined; they have worn down now, and the ring has taken on the shape of my finger. The ring I'm talking about is the top one in this photo.

My grandmother was articulate and wrote long letters to me over the years, discussing everything from current events to stories of her past. As the eldest of her granddaughters, even sharing her middle name, I felt very close to her - even though we lived many miles apart. I only saw her a few times after my family moved to Texas in 1976. The last time was during Christmas of 1992, when I flew to California to visit my parents, who were then serving as my grandparents' caretakers. Unfortunately, she was no longer completely lucid, and our conversations were limited by the onset of her Alzheimer's.

I started this post late last night - too late to phone my mom and ask more about my grandmother's past. I knew she had attended college, but couldn't remember where. I found a "missing alumni" entry for Barbara Morrow Weir at the Alpha Phi site, in the UCLA Beta Delta chapter, with a graduation year of 1938. I assume she married my grandfather during her college years. I remember hearing that she had also attended Cornell University, though I wasn't able to access their alumni site for verification.

I am extremely proud of my grandmother, as it was quite an achievement for a young lady to attend college during the Depression Era of the mid-1930's. The ring reminds me of the challenges she might have faced, as well as her determination to receive a quality education. I am honored to wear it each day, and it has given me courage to face adversity as I seek my own place in this world.

No go see our other participants for Fun Monday!

NaBloPoMo Day 16 - Houdini

Day Sixteen.

I totally think this is the kind of dog the Obamas should get. Can you imagine the Secret Service response?

You have most likely received the video of this little guy in your email inbox, but if not, enjoy:

I'm SO glad this is not my dog.

NaBloPoMo Day 15 - Now Fuzzier

Day Fifteen.

I have just found the bane of my existence.

Thanks to the community of Twitter, I have found the ultimate in time-wasters. Yes, I have discovered the horror that is PuppyCam.

Click the link to see these adorable Shiba Inu puppy stars:

The six Shiba Inu pups (3 boys and 3 girls) turned 5 weeks old on November 11th. This is the first litter from their mom, Kika.

Girls:
- Autumn (Purple collar) - 3 lbs 5.8 oz (as of Nov 11th)
- Ayumi (Yellow collar) - 3 lbs 3.4 oz (as of Nov 11th)
- Amaya (Red collar) - 3 lbs 6.6 oz (as of Nov 11th)

Boys:
- Aki (Green collar) - 4 lbs 0.4 oz (as of Nov 11th)
- Akoni (Black collar) - 3 lbs 12.6 oz (as of Nov 11th)
- Ando (Blue collar) - 3 lbs 1.2 oz (as of Nov 11th)

Live streaming cuteness...fuzzy puppies. Can't. Tear. Myself. Away.

NaBloPoMo Day Fourteen - Musical Fluff...Again

Day Fourteen.

I know it's been a while since I've introduced you to any addictive musical drivel. Don't worry, The Offspring is STILL making sure I don't miss out on any new music. If the XM radio isn't blasting Ethel, I will assume the electricity to our home is cut off. Especially if I hear wailing and gnashing of teeth. Preceded by a scream of, "MOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" The child's life has a soundtrack, guaranteed.

Occasionally, good sense will NOT prevail in her musical world. This usually results in the constant repetition of ONE DAMN SONG. Over and over ad nauseum. The second she gets in the car, the song is immediately found and blasted. Her phone blasts it. The iPod blasts over speakers while she is in the shower. It can't be ignored. What happens in the process is that I become brainwashed, and the song will not leave me be. I am humming and singing it all the time. Remember those geeky guys from Hellogoodbye? 3OH!3, featured below, is much the same:

I love the line, "Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips." Helen would have loved it.

An addiction from a few weeks back, Family Force 5...and I liked the song a LOT more, before I saw this video:

It was a rockin' song...until...sigh.
Why do geeky guys make it on the music scene? I just don't see the same market for rockin' geeky girls.

BTW, I think FamForce5 inspired The Offspring's latest look.Have a great weekend...I'll still have posts, just not as intense!

NaBloPoMo Day Thirteen - Whoring Out My Dad

Day Thirteen.

Is it wrong to blatantly use my father to help me come up with a post for every day? Surely not. If blogging had been around when I was growing up, I would have been the source of his daily posts...ad nauseum. Including photos of me with buck teeth. So, all's fair.

This is a little different side of Dad's stuff. And to be honest, I wouldn't be so ready to throw all this out there if you guys hadn't been so supportive.

And don't feel like you have to gush all over his stuff b/c he is my dad. Remember, I'm adopted. I can back away and say I don't share any of the genetics. So let's get critical here. The first one just reminds me of the letter "N." Too much Sesame Street as a child, I think. Speaking of, do any of you out there think numbers and letters are supposed to be a certain color? Or is that just my weirdness? For the record, the letter "A" is supposed to be RED.That one...looks...kinda...you know?That one is my favorite. Lots of energy.

Okay, get to criticizing, folks.

NaBloPoMo Day Twelve - What Does Red Mean?

Day Twelve.

And the Palin interviews continue. It's strange to me that the RNC kept Palin AWAY from the media, in so many respects, and NOW she is on every channel. It might have behooved the Republican ticket if they had let the country see who she was BEFORE the election.

Or not.

Since the election ended, the analysis of the results has been frenetic...have you seen this map?

The colors indicate how 'different' things were in this election, compared to the 2004 presidential election. It was surprising to me for two reasons:

1) The vast majority - VAST - voted more Democratic (Democratically?) than last time.
2) One area of the country voted strongly more Republican than last time.

Guess where I live? Just pick the darkest red state on the map. Yeah, see?

An article in the New York Times commented on the reasons for this shift further right, in what is called the "Black Belt" of America.

I have my theories, especially having lived in the area for 16 years now.

I want to know what YOU think. Why did these states in particular lean MORE toward the Republican side, while the rest of the country shifted in the opposite direction? What are your theories?

NaBloPoMo Day Eleven - Veteran's Day

Day Eleven.

I have a veteran in my home. My husband was a Navy Corpsman during the Vietnam era, and to this day, can vividly remember the atrocities he saw during that time. Please take a moment and remember those veterans who served by taking care of the wounded and dying. Theirs were sometimes the last faces our brave men and women saw in this life.No one knows the loss felt by the ones who served in the medical service of the military. They served our country by providing comfort to those who had been wounded in ways we can only imagine.And if you have never visited a National Cemetery, I urge you - just once - to go. It will be an overwhelming experience.Thank you, to all who have served this country. We owe you more than we could ever give.

NaBloPoMo Day Ten - Fun Monday, in Honor

Day Ten.

It's FUN MONDAY again, and this week's hostess is Janis, who wanted us to show our support and salute to the veterans who have served our country so well.

One of the most stirring things I've done in my life was visit Arlington National Cemetery in D.C. I was so overcome with emotion, I had to visit twice during my week-long stay. What struck me during my first tour was the vast number of headstones, just rows and rows of them...I had no idea how many were interred there. Here is a glimpse of that experience:
Please visit Janis' place, and enjoy the other tributes.

NaBloPoMo Day Nine - Swan Lake, Revisited

Day Nine.

It's Sunday, and a day of rest and relaxation. I was cleaning out my email, and found this gem. Watch and enjoy - the best part is AFTER the frogs:
AMAZING!

NaBloPoMo Day Eight - Irritating Phrases

Day Eight.

They say some of a blogger's most popular posts are RANTS...well, when I saw this topic on CNN, I KNEW it was rantworthy.

Recently the Plain English Campaign in the UK conducted a survey to find out their readers’ choice for “most irritating phrase”. Here are the results, in order of "irritation":

1 At the end of the day
2 (joint) At this moment in time
2 (joint) Like
4 With all due respect
5 To be honest
6 Touch base
7 I hear what you're saying
8 Going forward
9 Absolutely
10 Blue sky thinking

Hmmmm...yeah....you know what? I have some more things that irritate me. Here is my short list:

1. The use of the word "irregardless." It's not a word, people.
2. Text language. I can't communicate with my daughter anymore.
3. Usage of "also," "too," and "in addition" IN THE SAME SENTENCE.

So, what irritates you?

NaBloPoMo Day Seven - First Dog?

Day Seven. End of Week ONE.

In the excitement that was Tuesday, I seem to have lost my bearings. Now that it is behind us, let's move on to more pressing matters - the selection of the First Dog.

President-Elect Obama promised his daughters they could get a puppy for their historical moving party. My mother and I had a discussion this week, debating the type and breed of dog the Obama family should acquire. Here's an idea of how the conversation went:

Mom: I think it will be something cute and fuzzy. Cuddly.

Me: Nah, they'll pick something stronger, Mom. Something with character. I'm thinking Beagle. Or maybe Heinz 57 mutt.

Mom: Now, those little girls are gonna pick something small. Something real cute. Poodle, maybe.

Me: Poodle? Are you kidding me? Obama wouldn't own a poodle!

Mom: But the girls get to pick. Not him. I think they'll go for something furry, like a Bichon. Maybe a Lhasa.

Me: Aren't ALL dogs furry?

Mom: Well, they DEFINITELY won't pick a German Shepherd or a Doberman.

(I'm wondering why she is thinking this, but don't ask.)

Me: I doubt he'll get a pit bull, either. It's not like he's Michael Vick or anything. Still, he might get a pound dog.

Mom: THE GIRLS get to pick. He won't have any say.

Me: I still don't think Michelle would stand by and let them get a wussy dog. I think a Labrador would be good. Clinton had one, right? Maybe a hound. I still think it will be a Beagle.

Mom: I'm TELLING you. It will be a small, fuzzy dog.

Me: Oh! I know! He wants to bridge the red and blue states, right? He should get an Alaskan Malamute! Female, if you get my drift! Right? That's a compromise, isn't it?

Mom (staunch Republican): NOT funny.

So, what do YOU think?