Jinxed
Ever since vacation, I feel like I've been jinxed. There was the trip itself and the petty annoyances that made it not such a great trip, followed by: me leaving my lunch at the babysitter's while I took Hayley's bottles to work my first day back after vacation; a rainy outdoor concert where we didn't get home until 2am; my car breaking down; and last night, our phone being dead and small, microscopic ants coming from the side of the oven. For some reason, we had no dial tone after work yesterday, even though I had a message on the machine when I first got home. When I called our number from the cell phone, all you would get is a busy signal. So I spent close to a half hour on the cell phone with the phone company, while trying to clean up the ants and feed Hayley her dinner, and then the phone company wanted me to go test the outside line to see if there was a dial tone there to determine if it was an inside or outside line problem.
Hopefully, things will be looking up soon. I'll get my car back tomorrow (no more Deathtrap) and when I called home after lunch today, the phone rang and the machine picked up, so hopefully that's all fixed. I need some good luck/good kharma to come my way.
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
Monday, August 25, 2003
Car Update
The garage called at 2:47pm. It was the starter and it will be fixed late tomorrow or early Wednesday. I can't wait to get my car back!
The garage called at 2:47pm. It was the starter and it will be fixed late tomorrow or early Wednesday. I can't wait to get my car back!
Weekend
I can't believe how incredibly lame last night's "E! True Hollywood Story: The Real World" was. About 15 or 20 minutes into it, I realized they couldn't get permission to show any clips from any of the seasons and I thought, "Two hours of interviews of past cast members describing what happened instead of actually seeing it?" No thanks! How boring! Not even worth doing if you can't use clips from the show. It was only briefly interesting to see what some of the earlier cast members looked like now.
Otherwise, my weekend was very enjoyable, especially with the fantastic weather we had here - high 80s and no humidity. I spent Saturday night as a long overdue and much deserved Girls Night Out. Nadine, Wendy and I ate pizza and played the 20th anniversary edition of "Trivial Pursuit," which ended in a draw when I had to leave to pick up Hayley from my parents' house. And, as I said sarcastically to Wendy, "what a bunch of girls we are" as we spent the evening flipping back and forth between NASCAR and pre-season NFL football.
I really needed a night out after the day I had on Friday. After I dropped Hayley off at daycare, I got into my car and it wouldn't start - completely dead. We tried to jump it, but nothing. I'm not even sure if it was the battery, since I still had lights and the radio. So I had to call AAA, the first time in all the years I've had a membership, and they towed it to a local garage. This was all happening while I was supposed to pick up a cake for work on my way in for a big ceremony we were having later in the morning, of course.
The garage said they couldn't look at my car until Monday morning, so I'm still waiting to hear something. If they haven't called by 3pm, I'm calling them. In the meantime, I'm driving my mother-in-law's 1983 Mustang convertible - otherwise known as the "Deathtrap" and very practical for driving around a small child. I shouldn't complain - I should just be grateful that I have a vehicle at all right now.
I can't believe how incredibly lame last night's "E! True Hollywood Story: The Real World" was. About 15 or 20 minutes into it, I realized they couldn't get permission to show any clips from any of the seasons and I thought, "Two hours of interviews of past cast members describing what happened instead of actually seeing it?" No thanks! How boring! Not even worth doing if you can't use clips from the show. It was only briefly interesting to see what some of the earlier cast members looked like now.
Otherwise, my weekend was very enjoyable, especially with the fantastic weather we had here - high 80s and no humidity. I spent Saturday night as a long overdue and much deserved Girls Night Out. Nadine, Wendy and I ate pizza and played the 20th anniversary edition of "Trivial Pursuit," which ended in a draw when I had to leave to pick up Hayley from my parents' house. And, as I said sarcastically to Wendy, "what a bunch of girls we are" as we spent the evening flipping back and forth between NASCAR and pre-season NFL football.
I really needed a night out after the day I had on Friday. After I dropped Hayley off at daycare, I got into my car and it wouldn't start - completely dead. We tried to jump it, but nothing. I'm not even sure if it was the battery, since I still had lights and the radio. So I had to call AAA, the first time in all the years I've had a membership, and they towed it to a local garage. This was all happening while I was supposed to pick up a cake for work on my way in for a big ceremony we were having later in the morning, of course.
The garage said they couldn't look at my car until Monday morning, so I'm still waiting to hear something. If they haven't called by 3pm, I'm calling them. In the meantime, I'm driving my mother-in-law's 1983 Mustang convertible - otherwise known as the "Deathtrap" and very practical for driving around a small child. I shouldn't complain - I should just be grateful that I have a vehicle at all right now.
Thursday, August 21, 2003
Okay, it's not perfect, but it's late, so I'll try to fix the aesthetics tomorrow. At least you can read the part about me, if you're so inclined.
Update about me!
I'm finally putting the rest of my expanded Blogger service to work and I think I added a new web page to this site - the ubiquitous "100 Things," which you can link to from this entry, or hopefully from the link on the side bar. Let's give it a try, shall we?
I'm finally putting the rest of my expanded Blogger service to work and I think I added a new web page to this site - the ubiquitous "100 Things," which you can link to from this entry, or hopefully from the link on the side bar. Let's give it a try, shall we?
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
Morning Report
I love reading the daily "Morning Report," which is issued every day by the National Park Service as a summary of various incidents that occur in our National Parks. Most of the entries are hum-drum petty crimes, while others are more serious. But what makes the report so interesting is the style of the editor and writer. He has such a deadpan delivery on incidents that I wonder if he sees the humor in them, even in serious situations. I get the feeling he takes his job very seriously. Here are a couple of examples just from this week:
Morning Report from August 19, 2003
Mammoth Cave National Park (KY)
Arrest for Child Sexual Abuse
On July 16th, rangers received information regarding a possible sexual abuse incident that had occurred in the park. Investigation revealed that Robert Felker of Cave City, Kentucky, had camped with a female companion and a 12 year-old child at Houchins Ferry campground in late May or early June. While staying there, Felker attempted to fondle the child and also tried to coerce him into having sex with his female companion. The child's parents became aware of the incident when they noticed the child making sexual advances toward a younger sibling. When asked about his behavior, the child – who suffers from severe ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) – told his parents that he had learned it on the camping trip. The female companion who was present was identified and corroborated the child's story. The case was presented to a grand jury, which returned a sealed indictment against Felker on August 6th. Law enforcement specialist Brad McDougal and ranger Miranda Cook arrested Felker in nearby Glasgow, Kentucky, the following day. At the time of his arrest, Felker was dressed in the cowboy costume he wore as part of his duties as a performer at a local theme park that caters to families with children. Ranger David Alexander is the case agent.
[Submitted by Wayne Elliott, Chief Ranger]
Morning Report from August 20, 2003
Voyageurs National Park (MN)
Conviction for Illegal PWC Operation
On August 8th, a federal magistrate found Kyle Glennie and Kalan Wagner guilty of illegally operating their personal water craft in the park and refusing the lawful order of a federal officer. The conviction stemmed from a lengthy international pursuit of the two jet skiers on the afternoon of July 15, 2002. Ranger Karl Spilde was contacted by interpretive rangers when two jet skis passed the park tour boat at the west end of the park. Spilde placed his marked patrol boat within a narrow passage ahead of the jet skis and attempted to stop Glennie and Wagner, who had three young adult female passengers with them. They disregarded Spilde’s orders and continued further into the park. Spilde continued his pursuit for about 30 miles and requested air support from the park aircraft. Due to the high speed of the PWC’s, the jet skiers were able to reach a remote island before Spilde, drop off their passengers, and return. They passed Spilde and twice pulled ashore at cabins within Canadian waters as the park aircraft, piloted by Tom Hablett, followed them. When they saw the plane, they returned to park waters and the pursuit resumed. Although the PWC’s were operated at speeds estimated to be in excess of 60 mph, the operators were nonetheless able to entertain Hablett with hand gestures as they raced along the water. The 80-mile pursuit ended when the operators pulled into a Canadian marina and moored there, preventing Spilde from contacting them. Canadian and U.S. customs officials were notified during the pursuit, but were unable to provide support. A subsequent plain clothes site visit by the chief ranger led to verification of the operators’ identities and jet ski registrations. They reentered U.S. waters late that evening and were greeted by a Border Patrol agent. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. The incident remains under investigation by Canadian customs officials.
[Submitted by Jim Hummel, Chief Ranger]
I love reading the daily "Morning Report," which is issued every day by the National Park Service as a summary of various incidents that occur in our National Parks. Most of the entries are hum-drum petty crimes, while others are more serious. But what makes the report so interesting is the style of the editor and writer. He has such a deadpan delivery on incidents that I wonder if he sees the humor in them, even in serious situations. I get the feeling he takes his job very seriously. Here are a couple of examples just from this week:
Morning Report from August 19, 2003
Mammoth Cave National Park (KY)
Arrest for Child Sexual Abuse
On July 16th, rangers received information regarding a possible sexual abuse incident that had occurred in the park. Investigation revealed that Robert Felker of Cave City, Kentucky, had camped with a female companion and a 12 year-old child at Houchins Ferry campground in late May or early June. While staying there, Felker attempted to fondle the child and also tried to coerce him into having sex with his female companion. The child's parents became aware of the incident when they noticed the child making sexual advances toward a younger sibling. When asked about his behavior, the child – who suffers from severe ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) – told his parents that he had learned it on the camping trip. The female companion who was present was identified and corroborated the child's story. The case was presented to a grand jury, which returned a sealed indictment against Felker on August 6th. Law enforcement specialist Brad McDougal and ranger Miranda Cook arrested Felker in nearby Glasgow, Kentucky, the following day. At the time of his arrest, Felker was dressed in the cowboy costume he wore as part of his duties as a performer at a local theme park that caters to families with children. Ranger David Alexander is the case agent.
[Submitted by Wayne Elliott, Chief Ranger]
Morning Report from August 20, 2003
Voyageurs National Park (MN)
Conviction for Illegal PWC Operation
On August 8th, a federal magistrate found Kyle Glennie and Kalan Wagner guilty of illegally operating their personal water craft in the park and refusing the lawful order of a federal officer. The conviction stemmed from a lengthy international pursuit of the two jet skiers on the afternoon of July 15, 2002. Ranger Karl Spilde was contacted by interpretive rangers when two jet skis passed the park tour boat at the west end of the park. Spilde placed his marked patrol boat within a narrow passage ahead of the jet skis and attempted to stop Glennie and Wagner, who had three young adult female passengers with them. They disregarded Spilde’s orders and continued further into the park. Spilde continued his pursuit for about 30 miles and requested air support from the park aircraft. Due to the high speed of the PWC’s, the jet skiers were able to reach a remote island before Spilde, drop off their passengers, and return. They passed Spilde and twice pulled ashore at cabins within Canadian waters as the park aircraft, piloted by Tom Hablett, followed them. When they saw the plane, they returned to park waters and the pursuit resumed. Although the PWC’s were operated at speeds estimated to be in excess of 60 mph, the operators were nonetheless able to entertain Hablett with hand gestures as they raced along the water. The 80-mile pursuit ended when the operators pulled into a Canadian marina and moored there, preventing Spilde from contacting them. Canadian and U.S. customs officials were notified during the pursuit, but were unable to provide support. A subsequent plain clothes site visit by the chief ranger led to verification of the operators’ identities and jet ski registrations. They reentered U.S. waters late that evening and were greeted by a Border Patrol agent. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. The incident remains under investigation by Canadian customs officials.
[Submitted by Jim Hummel, Chief Ranger]
Tuesday, August 19, 2003
Complaint Department
Here's the first of my complaint letters from vacation and, I think, the most serious.
Rocky Mount - Days Inn Golden East
ATTN: Manager
1340 N. Wesleyan Blvd.
Rocky Mount, NC 27804
Dear Manager:
On Thursday, August 7, 2003, my family and I stayed at your establishment with my 10-month old daughter. This was not a planned stay and we did not have our travel play yard with us, so we requested a crib for our room, which was offered as an amenity by your hotel.
The crib we received was in an unacceptable condition. The first thought that entered my mind was a report I had seen on Dateline, well before I even had a child, about the dangerous condition of many hotel cribs. As you can see from the enclosed photo, the crib we received was missing slats, creating a space large enough for an infant’s head to become lodged or stuck. The crib was also rickety and unstable, as it was missing one of its wheels. I tossed and turned all night, afraid that the crib would collapse during the night and injure my child.
If Days Inn is going to offer cribs as an amenity to its guests, I would expect that the crib provided would be in a safe, working condition. This one incident marred an otherwise pleasant stay at your hotel. Our rooms were clean, the price was reasonable and the children enjoyed the outdoor swimming pool. I have stayed at other Days Inn locations before, but this was the first time I needed a crib and I was very disappointed. I would appreciate a response to know how you plan to address this safety issue. For your information, I have enclosed a copy of the transcript from the Dateline report on hotel crib safety, as well as a checklist from the Consumer Product Safety Council regarding hotel and motel crib safety. I think if you use this checklist on the Gerry® brand crib we had in our room, you will find it does not meet these standards.
In addition to those copied on this letter below, I will also be posting a copy of this letter on my personal website to make family, friends and other readers aware of our experience. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Andrea [Last Name]
CC: Joseph R. Kane, Jr.
President & CEO, Days Inn Worldwide
1 Sylvan Way
Parsippany, NJ 07054
Lea Thompson
Dateline NBC Correspondent
c/o NBC News
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10012
Nychelle Fleming
Children's Product Hazards Specialist
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Council
Washington, DC 20207-0001
Here's the first of my complaint letters from vacation and, I think, the most serious.
Rocky Mount - Days Inn Golden East
ATTN: Manager
1340 N. Wesleyan Blvd.
Rocky Mount, NC 27804
Dear Manager:
On Thursday, August 7, 2003, my family and I stayed at your establishment with my 10-month old daughter. This was not a planned stay and we did not have our travel play yard with us, so we requested a crib for our room, which was offered as an amenity by your hotel.
The crib we received was in an unacceptable condition. The first thought that entered my mind was a report I had seen on Dateline, well before I even had a child, about the dangerous condition of many hotel cribs. As you can see from the enclosed photo, the crib we received was missing slats, creating a space large enough for an infant’s head to become lodged or stuck. The crib was also rickety and unstable, as it was missing one of its wheels. I tossed and turned all night, afraid that the crib would collapse during the night and injure my child.
If Days Inn is going to offer cribs as an amenity to its guests, I would expect that the crib provided would be in a safe, working condition. This one incident marred an otherwise pleasant stay at your hotel. Our rooms were clean, the price was reasonable and the children enjoyed the outdoor swimming pool. I have stayed at other Days Inn locations before, but this was the first time I needed a crib and I was very disappointed. I would appreciate a response to know how you plan to address this safety issue. For your information, I have enclosed a copy of the transcript from the Dateline report on hotel crib safety, as well as a checklist from the Consumer Product Safety Council regarding hotel and motel crib safety. I think if you use this checklist on the Gerry® brand crib we had in our room, you will find it does not meet these standards.
In addition to those copied on this letter below, I will also be posting a copy of this letter on my personal website to make family, friends and other readers aware of our experience. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Andrea [Last Name]
CC: Joseph R. Kane, Jr.
President & CEO, Days Inn Worldwide
1 Sylvan Way
Parsippany, NJ 07054
Lea Thompson
Dateline NBC Correspondent
c/o NBC News
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10012
Nychelle Fleming
Children's Product Hazards Specialist
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Council
Washington, DC 20207-0001
Monday, August 18, 2003
Big Brother is Watching
I love using bSTATS to see how people find this site. It's so interesting! Just by dropping one celebrity name, I can get a bunch of hits to my site. How many of you are actually hanging around and returning to read about my fascinating life is another question, but I hope you find my commentary about whoever or whatever you're searching for to be interesting, atleast. Brad Paisley has been my number one search term so far (so I'll mention him again!).
Some hits are a little strange. I came up as #5 on AOL for a search on "how to draw a girl laying down." Some combination of those words appeared in an entry about Hayley. I probably wasn't very helpful for the person doing that search!
Also, when I named this site "Real Live Woman," I was afraid I would get bombarded by people looking for porn, but thankfully, that's been kept to a minimum so far. It's the name of a Trisha Yearwood song, people! Please keep that in mind and read the banner at the top of the page.
The power of Google is amazing!
I love using bSTATS to see how people find this site. It's so interesting! Just by dropping one celebrity name, I can get a bunch of hits to my site. How many of you are actually hanging around and returning to read about my fascinating life is another question, but I hope you find my commentary about whoever or whatever you're searching for to be interesting, atleast. Brad Paisley has been my number one search term so far (so I'll mention him again!).
Some hits are a little strange. I came up as #5 on AOL for a search on "how to draw a girl laying down." Some combination of those words appeared in an entry about Hayley. I probably wasn't very helpful for the person doing that search!
Also, when I named this site "Real Live Woman," I was afraid I would get bombarded by people looking for porn, but thankfully, that's been kept to a minimum so far. It's the name of a Trisha Yearwood song, people! Please keep that in mind and read the banner at the top of the page.
The power of Google is amazing!
Friday, August 15, 2003
Friday Five
That last post was pretty whiny, wasn't it? Here's something a little more cheery. I'll try to start doing these more often (thanks for the referral, Eliza). I liked last week's Friday Five too, so I'm doing both.
Friday, August 15
1. How much time do you spend online each day?
At work, more than I care to admit to. It probably adds up to 4-5 hours on a bad day, 1-2 on a good day, from a work perspective, that is.
2. What is your browser homepage set to? At work, Yahoo! At home, the MSN default.
3. Do you use any instant messaging programs? If so, which one(s)? I have both AOL IM and MSN at home, but don't use them a lot.
4. Where was your first webpage located? blogger.com
5. How long have you had your current website? I'm new - just since June.
Friday, August 8
1. What's the last place you traveled to, outside your own home state/country?
I just returned from a family vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC.
2. What's the most bizarre/unusual thing that's ever happened to you while traveling?
Bizarre or unusual, instead of scary, would be the earthquake in Seattle. I was traveling for work in May of 1996 and was in my hotel room at just after 9pm when the curtains started moving back and forth, then a wave of movement swept over the room. Being from the East Coast, I had never experienced anything like this before. There was no damage, but it was a 5.3 quake, the largest Seattle had experienced in 30 years. The next day, I was brave enough to travel to the top of the Space Needle.
3. If you could take off to anywhere, money and time being no object, where would you go?
I would drive across America, taking my time, visiting all of the national parks and other sites, and visit all 50 states.
4. Do you prefer traveling by plane, train or car?
Depending on how far the trip is, and excluding this last trip to Myrtle Beach, I would say "car." You get to see so much more and you have more freedom.
5. What's the next place on your list to visit?
This list is very long. Dream list - the national parks in Utah. Realistically, we'll probably do a family vacation to Niagara Falls next year.
That last post was pretty whiny, wasn't it? Here's something a little more cheery. I'll try to start doing these more often (thanks for the referral, Eliza). I liked last week's Friday Five too, so I'm doing both.
Friday, August 15
1. How much time do you spend online each day?
At work, more than I care to admit to. It probably adds up to 4-5 hours on a bad day, 1-2 on a good day, from a work perspective, that is.
2. What is your browser homepage set to? At work, Yahoo! At home, the MSN default.
3. Do you use any instant messaging programs? If so, which one(s)? I have both AOL IM and MSN at home, but don't use them a lot.
4. Where was your first webpage located? blogger.com
5. How long have you had your current website? I'm new - just since June.
Friday, August 8
1. What's the last place you traveled to, outside your own home state/country?
I just returned from a family vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC.
2. What's the most bizarre/unusual thing that's ever happened to you while traveling?
Bizarre or unusual, instead of scary, would be the earthquake in Seattle. I was traveling for work in May of 1996 and was in my hotel room at just after 9pm when the curtains started moving back and forth, then a wave of movement swept over the room. Being from the East Coast, I had never experienced anything like this before. There was no damage, but it was a 5.3 quake, the largest Seattle had experienced in 30 years. The next day, I was brave enough to travel to the top of the Space Needle.
3. If you could take off to anywhere, money and time being no object, where would you go?
I would drive across America, taking my time, visiting all of the national parks and other sites, and visit all 50 states.
4. Do you prefer traveling by plane, train or car?
Depending on how far the trip is, and excluding this last trip to Myrtle Beach, I would say "car." You get to see so much more and you have more freedom.
5. What's the next place on your list to visit?
This list is very long. Dream list - the national parks in Utah. Realistically, we'll probably do a family vacation to Niagara Falls next year.
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Back from the Beach
Sorry I haven't updated in a while - we were vacationing at the beach. We returned on Monday from Myrtle Beach, SC. And when I saw "we," I actually mean my two sisters, my two nieces, my mom, my cousin, Hayley and me. It was a Girls Only trip and I'm still trying to define it. It wasn't a bad vacation, but it wasn't great either. I had a good time with everything that we did, but I just wasn't up or feeling very relaxed, etc, for a variety of reasons.
One such reason was traffic. The trip got off to a very bad start. I was driving my parents' minivan, which housed my mom, my younger sister, her two daughters and Hayley. Eight or nine hours is a good drive to Myrtle Beach, so I was anticipating it taking longer than that with more frequent stops, especially with a baby in the car. But that wasn't the problem - traffic and accidents on I-95 were the culprits.
Just before Fredericksburg, VA, there was a an accident involving an overturned tractor trailer that had occurred at 2am that night. All three lanes were still closed, with only the left shoulder getting by, and there was a 13 mile back up. This was at around 9am, seven hours after the accident happened. We got off 95 for awhile to get around it, but so did everyone else, so we were trapped in a back-up for about an hour.
After lunch, we were cruising on 95 just before the VA/NC border when we hit another massive traffic jam. And I mean MASSIVE! We sat - did not move - for over a half hour. People were getting out of their cars. Then we inched along for 2 hours, travelling a total of 8 miles. Finally, everyone was diverted off 95 in Emporia - the highway was completely closed. During the two hours we sat on the highway - and leading up to it - we did not see a single state police officer, local police officer, Dept of Transportation worker or any other human being that could provide assistance. We also could not find a single traffic report on any FM or AM station - we scanned for two hours and nothing! Finally, after we got off of 95 onto Rt. 301, there were two local sheriffs directing traffic. We pulled into a gas station for gas (we were close to empty, as many others were, too), a potty break and just to get out of the car. We were so frazzled and exhausted and still didn't know what had happened. In the midst of all of this, the keys got locked in the van - with Hayley still inside! My mom was freaking out, but I was relatively calm. My sister went over to the officers directing traffic and one of them came over and jimmed opened the car. He was the one who finally told us that there was a serious accident with several fatalities that happened at 10am that morning. We didn't approach the accident site until 1pm and then sat until well after 3pm when we finally made it to the gas station. I cannot believe how poorly this situation was handled by the Virginia State Police. Then, we finally made it into NC and got stuck in another traffic jam due to construction. We had all had it at this point - especially with a car full of kids - so we stopped for the night in Rocky Mount, NC and made it the rest of the way to Myrtle Beach on Friday morning.
This incident launched the first of many during the whole vacation that involved the phrase, "I'm going to write a letter about this when we get home!" Stay tuned for more about the "bad" parts of our vacation, along with copies of the letters I will be writing.
But otherwise, we had a good time once we actually got there. Hayley loved the beach and the ocean. She wasn't afraid of the water or the waves and she played in the sand, including shoving handfuls of it into her mouth without so much as making a face. It was great to spend time with my family and to see the little ones having so much fun. And my sister's condo is great - she has it decorated really nice and it was definitely big enough for all of us and it's in a great location.
But it is not relaxing to go on vacation with a 10-month old. She still woke up at 6:30am everyday and I stayed up much later than I usually do at home. And I still had to make bottles and all that kind of stuff. I brought three paperbacks with me and only read about 10 pages of the first one and that was it. The ride home was uneventful - thank goodness! Hayley and I both missed her daddy very much. I'd like to go back with just the three of us for a more relaxing trip some day soon. This whole summer has just gone by way too fast for me. More about the trip, including pictures, to come soon!
Sorry I haven't updated in a while - we were vacationing at the beach. We returned on Monday from Myrtle Beach, SC. And when I saw "we," I actually mean my two sisters, my two nieces, my mom, my cousin, Hayley and me. It was a Girls Only trip and I'm still trying to define it. It wasn't a bad vacation, but it wasn't great either. I had a good time with everything that we did, but I just wasn't up or feeling very relaxed, etc, for a variety of reasons.
One such reason was traffic. The trip got off to a very bad start. I was driving my parents' minivan, which housed my mom, my younger sister, her two daughters and Hayley. Eight or nine hours is a good drive to Myrtle Beach, so I was anticipating it taking longer than that with more frequent stops, especially with a baby in the car. But that wasn't the problem - traffic and accidents on I-95 were the culprits.
Just before Fredericksburg, VA, there was a an accident involving an overturned tractor trailer that had occurred at 2am that night. All three lanes were still closed, with only the left shoulder getting by, and there was a 13 mile back up. This was at around 9am, seven hours after the accident happened. We got off 95 for awhile to get around it, but so did everyone else, so we were trapped in a back-up for about an hour.
After lunch, we were cruising on 95 just before the VA/NC border when we hit another massive traffic jam. And I mean MASSIVE! We sat - did not move - for over a half hour. People were getting out of their cars. Then we inched along for 2 hours, travelling a total of 8 miles. Finally, everyone was diverted off 95 in Emporia - the highway was completely closed. During the two hours we sat on the highway - and leading up to it - we did not see a single state police officer, local police officer, Dept of Transportation worker or any other human being that could provide assistance. We also could not find a single traffic report on any FM or AM station - we scanned for two hours and nothing! Finally, after we got off of 95 onto Rt. 301, there were two local sheriffs directing traffic. We pulled into a gas station for gas (we were close to empty, as many others were, too), a potty break and just to get out of the car. We were so frazzled and exhausted and still didn't know what had happened. In the midst of all of this, the keys got locked in the van - with Hayley still inside! My mom was freaking out, but I was relatively calm. My sister went over to the officers directing traffic and one of them came over and jimmed opened the car. He was the one who finally told us that there was a serious accident with several fatalities that happened at 10am that morning. We didn't approach the accident site until 1pm and then sat until well after 3pm when we finally made it to the gas station. I cannot believe how poorly this situation was handled by the Virginia State Police. Then, we finally made it into NC and got stuck in another traffic jam due to construction. We had all had it at this point - especially with a car full of kids - so we stopped for the night in Rocky Mount, NC and made it the rest of the way to Myrtle Beach on Friday morning.
This incident launched the first of many during the whole vacation that involved the phrase, "I'm going to write a letter about this when we get home!" Stay tuned for more about the "bad" parts of our vacation, along with copies of the letters I will be writing.
But otherwise, we had a good time once we actually got there. Hayley loved the beach and the ocean. She wasn't afraid of the water or the waves and she played in the sand, including shoving handfuls of it into her mouth without so much as making a face. It was great to spend time with my family and to see the little ones having so much fun. And my sister's condo is great - she has it decorated really nice and it was definitely big enough for all of us and it's in a great location.
But it is not relaxing to go on vacation with a 10-month old. She still woke up at 6:30am everyday and I stayed up much later than I usually do at home. And I still had to make bottles and all that kind of stuff. I brought three paperbacks with me and only read about 10 pages of the first one and that was it. The ride home was uneventful - thank goodness! Hayley and I both missed her daddy very much. I'd like to go back with just the three of us for a more relaxing trip some day soon. This whole summer has just gone by way too fast for me. More about the trip, including pictures, to come soon!
Tuesday, August 05, 2003
Fashion Police
Speaking of Doug Llewelyn, he's back! (courtesy of Hip Clicks)
Also, I updated the July 7 post with photos, if you're interested.
Speaking of Doug Llewelyn, he's back! (courtesy of Hip Clicks)
Also, I updated the July 7 post with photos, if you're interested.
Friday, August 01, 2003
Party all the time
The planning for the big 1st Birthday has officially begun! I'm so excited to have a new project to work on between now and Sept. 13 - that's the day of the party, although Hayley won't actually be 1 until the 17th. The theme is "Raggedy Ann and Andy" - of course, but I was sort of undecided about it at first. I didn't want everyone to be sick to death of RA&A (it was the theme of one of my baby showers and the theme for Hayley's nursery), but I figured next year she'll be able to talk and tell me what she wants for her party, so I better get "my" party in now. Plus, I have the Raggedy Ann cake pan, so I might as well get one more use out of it.
I found great invitations at the Dollar Store that I call "Abstract Raggedy Ann."
When I first saw them, I thought "Raggedy Ann." Then a second later, I also thought, "Wicked Witch of the East legs curling under the house in The Wizard of Oz." A couple of other people thought the same thing, but hopefully, everyone will know better and go with Raggedy Ann. Plus, I'm going to stamp the outside of the envelope, so that should lead people to be in a "Raggedy Ann" frame of mind when they get to the front of the invitation.
I hope to mail them out some time this weekend or first thing Monday. Then I get to plan the decorations, put together favors and other such fun stuff! Good times!
The planning for the big 1st Birthday has officially begun! I'm so excited to have a new project to work on between now and Sept. 13 - that's the day of the party, although Hayley won't actually be 1 until the 17th. The theme is "Raggedy Ann and Andy" - of course, but I was sort of undecided about it at first. I didn't want everyone to be sick to death of RA&A (it was the theme of one of my baby showers and the theme for Hayley's nursery), but I figured next year she'll be able to talk and tell me what she wants for her party, so I better get "my" party in now. Plus, I have the Raggedy Ann cake pan, so I might as well get one more use out of it.
I found great invitations at the Dollar Store that I call "Abstract Raggedy Ann."
When I first saw them, I thought "Raggedy Ann." Then a second later, I also thought, "Wicked Witch of the East legs curling under the house in The Wizard of Oz." A couple of other people thought the same thing, but hopefully, everyone will know better and go with Raggedy Ann. Plus, I'm going to stamp the outside of the envelope, so that should lead people to be in a "Raggedy Ann" frame of mind when they get to the front of the invitation.
I hope to mail them out some time this weekend or first thing Monday. Then I get to plan the decorations, put together favors and other such fun stuff! Good times!
Monday, July 28, 2003
Top 200 Pop Culture Icons
This weekend, I spent more time than I care to admit watching "VH-1's Top 200 Pop Culture Icons" countdown, but there were so many things blatantly wrong with this list that it was like a bad car accident - I couldn't look away. They should have just named it "Pop Culture Icons of the Past 20 Years," because according to my calculations, nearly half have really only become famous or made their mark since the '80's. And there are some who wouldn't even be on this list if VH-1 had compiled it a year ago (Ben Affleck, this means you.). In general, the list was very short-sighted.
I realize that when any type of "all-time" list is compiled, there is always disgreement and criticism, but I just felt that this list really missed the mark. I tried to find something on VH-1's website about how the list was compiled, but I could only find a brief mention of "our panel of experts," although it didn't name who they were or what they used as the criteria to define a "pop culture icon of all-time." One caveat before you read my rants - I did not watch the entire program, but only saw groups of five or ten here and there throughout the weekend, so I didn't always hear the "rationale" for choosing an icon. That being said, let the review begin:
200-181
I disagreed with most of the choices in this group. "The Rock" at #200, but no Hulk Hogan? There would be no "The Rock" or any other wrestlers you see today on WWE without Hulk Hogan. Judge Judy (#197), but not Judge Wapner? He's the original TV judge. And who could forget Doug Llewylyn? Maybe Russell Crowe (#190) deserves to be on this list because he won an Oscar, but I'm going to say no, mostly because I really don't like him all that much. Dolly Parton (#189) and Joe Namath (#188) were good choices. But Broadway Joe is the only football player on the list. What about the other Joe - Joe Montana, or Brian Piccolo. And, although I'm sure no one wants to admit it, O.J. Simpson belongs on this list. He's become engrained in American Pop Culture in more ways than one. Winona Ryder (#183) probably wouldn't be on this list without the shoplifting incident. Reese Witherspoon (#181) is too new.
180-161
Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing (#180) - an excellent choice to fit my criteria of icon. I don't think Gianni Versace (#172) would have made the list if he hadn't been killed so tragically. #166, Betty Ford, is a questionable choice, but I'll let it go because she's older than 21 and including her showed a little bit of thinking on behalf of the listmakers.
160-141
Ricky Martin at #159 is also questionable. Yes, he did help bring about the current popularity of Latin music, but in reality, he's just a one-hit wonder at this point. Harry Potter (#154) was another good choice for icon status (and I've never even read any of the books). Bob Hope at #152 should have been ranked much, much higher. I'll admit, I never really understood his appeal and sense of humor, which is a generational thing, but give credit where credit is due. I'll agree with Garth Brooks at #150 and I'm glad to see VH-1 include Dolly Parton (#189) and Johnny Cash (#88) as well for the country music category (please note: Shania Twain is not a country act - never has been, never will be). Gwen Stefani (#142) is questionable, but I really think she's one of the coolest people ever and I can't knock a vote for Girl Power.
140-121
James Gandolfini (as Tony Soprano) at #140 - that's the way it's listed, with the character in parens - should really be "The Sopranos," the TV show itself. The icon that has become The Sopranos in our culture is the entire show, not just the character of Tony Soprano. This mistake will be repeated later on. I'm not sure about the inclusion of Molly Ringwald (#139). I'm one of the biggest "Sixteen Candles" fans you will find, but her lack of longevity makes me question her. My bias toward "The Breakfast Club" may be coming into play, too. I think I'm the only thirty-something out there who absolutely hated this movie. I hated it when I first saw it and I've hated every time I've tried to watch it again to see why, but it just doesn't do it for me. Anyway, Dick Clark should be way, way, much, much higher on this list. He would be in my Top 10. How can he not be? He is the epitome of American pop culture for the past 40+ years. And Bob Denver as Gilligan at #122 should really be "Gilligan's Island," the show, a la "The Sopranos." Walk up to anyone on any street in America and ask them to name the seven castaways and it can be done.
120-101
Continuing with the TV mistakes, #120 should be "Sex and the City," not just Sarah Jessica Parker. The show itself is the star and the icon that has made its way into our culture. And now, for the biggest mistake on the entire list, #119 Ben Affleck should ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, not be on this list! What a joke! If this list had been compiled a year ago, he wouldn't even be in the running to make the cut. He's only on this list because he's the soon-to-be Mr. Jennifer Lopez and that's it. As for #117, William Shatner, his listing should have included "Capt. Kirk" in parens, but it didn't. Why not? I don't think he's on the list for T.J. Hooker. Justin Timberlake (#112) is too new for this list, or else Jordan Knight would be on here, too.
100-81
Henry Winkler as "The Fonz" is a good selection, but he would be higher than #99 on my list. And Penny Marshall as "Laverne DeFazio" at #84 should not rank higher than The Fonz. His leather jacket is in the Smithsonian! Exactamundo! Clint Eastwood should also be higher than #90, especially when you look at some of the male leading actors ahead of him on the list (Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise). Stephen King at #97 was the only author to make the list. What about John Grisham or pop culture characters created by authors that have become engrained in our culture by coming to life on the big screen, like James Bond or Hannibal Lechter?
80-61
I can live with Pamela Anderson at #80 (atleast Anna Nicole didn't make the list), but not Susan Lucci at #74. She represents the whole Daytime Soap market on the list, but I don't think it was a good choice. There should have been atleast one show in the rank, like "Days of Our Lives" or "The Young and the Restless," that have been on the air for ages, but no one seemed to consider that.
60-41
Loved Kermit & Miss Piggy as #60. Whenever I catch reruns of "The Muppet Show" as an adult, I can't get over how smart and intelligent the shows are. I'm tempted to buy all of the episodes on DVD. #54 John Wayne also deserves to be ranked much higher in the grand scheme of things, as does Elizabeth Taylor (#49). I question Michael J. Fox at #44. I love him in just about everything he has done and what he stands for. But I have to wonder if this is a pity vote?
40-21
I'll let The Osbournes slide at #40. Even though the ratings have dropped drastically, even if they don't survive another season, I don't think any of us will ever forget them. Katie Couric at #39, along with Barbara Walters back at #89, are curious. I can accept Barbara Wawa, but why Katie and not someone else? Where are the news men? Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America, should be on this list. Or atleast Tom Brokaw. James Dean at #26 should be much, much higher as well. In my opinion, he is the true definition of an American pop culture icon and would be in my Top 10. And JFK Jr. at #24 shouldn't be ranked higher than his father (#32) or mother (#47). Also, Tom Hanks at #22 deserves to be higher.
20-1
Now we get to the big boys - and girls. Britney Spears is ranked too hight at #20. In my opinion, she's still bordering on flash-in-the-pan status. Same with J. Lo at #15, even though I love her and she's a great success - so far- in both music and movies. Jerry Seinfeld at #13 needs to be higher, along with the TV show itself. A day rarely goes by that I don't make some kind of "Seinfeld" reference. Tom Cruise is also ranked way too high at #5 - I would flip him with Tom Hanks. And at #3, my choice for #1 - The King, Elvis Presley. Without him, half of the people on this list wouldn't be there. And quite honestly, I'm really undecided about the #1 pick - Oprah Winfrey. Baltimore has always loved Oprah and include her as one of ours, and anyone who known only by their first name has definitely achieved icon status. I wouldn't have her as #1 on my list, but I think she might make my Top 10.
There, are you exhausted yet? I am! But just a few more thoughts on people I thought were missing from the list:
Aaron Spelling - how can his contributions to America television and Pop Culture be overlooked?
David Hasselhoff and Baywatch - the most popular TV show in the world and it's not on this list?
The Beach Boys - they epitomize the American dream of fun in the California sun, surfing, girls and hot cars
Dale Earnhart - the legacy he has left behind in his sport is overwhelming and very obviously overlooked by the listmakers
Okay, I'm finished with my rant. But I'd love to know what you think. Agree or disagree with me? E-mail me and let me know.
This weekend, I spent more time than I care to admit watching "VH-1's Top 200 Pop Culture Icons" countdown, but there were so many things blatantly wrong with this list that it was like a bad car accident - I couldn't look away. They should have just named it "Pop Culture Icons of the Past 20 Years," because according to my calculations, nearly half have really only become famous or made their mark since the '80's. And there are some who wouldn't even be on this list if VH-1 had compiled it a year ago (Ben Affleck, this means you.). In general, the list was very short-sighted.
I realize that when any type of "all-time" list is compiled, there is always disgreement and criticism, but I just felt that this list really missed the mark. I tried to find something on VH-1's website about how the list was compiled, but I could only find a brief mention of "our panel of experts," although it didn't name who they were or what they used as the criteria to define a "pop culture icon of all-time." One caveat before you read my rants - I did not watch the entire program, but only saw groups of five or ten here and there throughout the weekend, so I didn't always hear the "rationale" for choosing an icon. That being said, let the review begin:
200-181
I disagreed with most of the choices in this group. "The Rock" at #200, but no Hulk Hogan? There would be no "The Rock" or any other wrestlers you see today on WWE without Hulk Hogan. Judge Judy (#197), but not Judge Wapner? He's the original TV judge. And who could forget Doug Llewylyn? Maybe Russell Crowe (#190) deserves to be on this list because he won an Oscar, but I'm going to say no, mostly because I really don't like him all that much. Dolly Parton (#189) and Joe Namath (#188) were good choices. But Broadway Joe is the only football player on the list. What about the other Joe - Joe Montana, or Brian Piccolo. And, although I'm sure no one wants to admit it, O.J. Simpson belongs on this list. He's become engrained in American Pop Culture in more ways than one. Winona Ryder (#183) probably wouldn't be on this list without the shoplifting incident. Reese Witherspoon (#181) is too new.
180-161
Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing (#180) - an excellent choice to fit my criteria of icon. I don't think Gianni Versace (#172) would have made the list if he hadn't been killed so tragically. #166, Betty Ford, is a questionable choice, but I'll let it go because she's older than 21 and including her showed a little bit of thinking on behalf of the listmakers.
160-141
Ricky Martin at #159 is also questionable. Yes, he did help bring about the current popularity of Latin music, but in reality, he's just a one-hit wonder at this point. Harry Potter (#154) was another good choice for icon status (and I've never even read any of the books). Bob Hope at #152 should have been ranked much, much higher. I'll admit, I never really understood his appeal and sense of humor, which is a generational thing, but give credit where credit is due. I'll agree with Garth Brooks at #150 and I'm glad to see VH-1 include Dolly Parton (#189) and Johnny Cash (#88) as well for the country music category (please note: Shania Twain is not a country act - never has been, never will be). Gwen Stefani (#142) is questionable, but I really think she's one of the coolest people ever and I can't knock a vote for Girl Power.
140-121
James Gandolfini (as Tony Soprano) at #140 - that's the way it's listed, with the character in parens - should really be "The Sopranos," the TV show itself. The icon that has become The Sopranos in our culture is the entire show, not just the character of Tony Soprano. This mistake will be repeated later on. I'm not sure about the inclusion of Molly Ringwald (#139). I'm one of the biggest "Sixteen Candles" fans you will find, but her lack of longevity makes me question her. My bias toward "The Breakfast Club" may be coming into play, too. I think I'm the only thirty-something out there who absolutely hated this movie. I hated it when I first saw it and I've hated every time I've tried to watch it again to see why, but it just doesn't do it for me. Anyway, Dick Clark should be way, way, much, much higher on this list. He would be in my Top 10. How can he not be? He is the epitome of American pop culture for the past 40+ years. And Bob Denver as Gilligan at #122 should really be "Gilligan's Island," the show, a la "The Sopranos." Walk up to anyone on any street in America and ask them to name the seven castaways and it can be done.
120-101
Continuing with the TV mistakes, #120 should be "Sex and the City," not just Sarah Jessica Parker. The show itself is the star and the icon that has made its way into our culture. And now, for the biggest mistake on the entire list, #119 Ben Affleck should ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, not be on this list! What a joke! If this list had been compiled a year ago, he wouldn't even be in the running to make the cut. He's only on this list because he's the soon-to-be Mr. Jennifer Lopez and that's it. As for #117, William Shatner, his listing should have included "Capt. Kirk" in parens, but it didn't. Why not? I don't think he's on the list for T.J. Hooker. Justin Timberlake (#112) is too new for this list, or else Jordan Knight would be on here, too.
100-81
Henry Winkler as "The Fonz" is a good selection, but he would be higher than #99 on my list. And Penny Marshall as "Laverne DeFazio" at #84 should not rank higher than The Fonz. His leather jacket is in the Smithsonian! Exactamundo! Clint Eastwood should also be higher than #90, especially when you look at some of the male leading actors ahead of him on the list (Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise). Stephen King at #97 was the only author to make the list. What about John Grisham or pop culture characters created by authors that have become engrained in our culture by coming to life on the big screen, like James Bond or Hannibal Lechter?
80-61
I can live with Pamela Anderson at #80 (atleast Anna Nicole didn't make the list), but not Susan Lucci at #74. She represents the whole Daytime Soap market on the list, but I don't think it was a good choice. There should have been atleast one show in the rank, like "Days of Our Lives" or "The Young and the Restless," that have been on the air for ages, but no one seemed to consider that.
60-41
Loved Kermit & Miss Piggy as #60. Whenever I catch reruns of "The Muppet Show" as an adult, I can't get over how smart and intelligent the shows are. I'm tempted to buy all of the episodes on DVD. #54 John Wayne also deserves to be ranked much higher in the grand scheme of things, as does Elizabeth Taylor (#49). I question Michael J. Fox at #44. I love him in just about everything he has done and what he stands for. But I have to wonder if this is a pity vote?
40-21
I'll let The Osbournes slide at #40. Even though the ratings have dropped drastically, even if they don't survive another season, I don't think any of us will ever forget them. Katie Couric at #39, along with Barbara Walters back at #89, are curious. I can accept Barbara Wawa, but why Katie and not someone else? Where are the news men? Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America, should be on this list. Or atleast Tom Brokaw. James Dean at #26 should be much, much higher as well. In my opinion, he is the true definition of an American pop culture icon and would be in my Top 10. And JFK Jr. at #24 shouldn't be ranked higher than his father (#32) or mother (#47). Also, Tom Hanks at #22 deserves to be higher.
20-1
Now we get to the big boys - and girls. Britney Spears is ranked too hight at #20. In my opinion, she's still bordering on flash-in-the-pan status. Same with J. Lo at #15, even though I love her and she's a great success - so far- in both music and movies. Jerry Seinfeld at #13 needs to be higher, along with the TV show itself. A day rarely goes by that I don't make some kind of "Seinfeld" reference. Tom Cruise is also ranked way too high at #5 - I would flip him with Tom Hanks. And at #3, my choice for #1 - The King, Elvis Presley. Without him, half of the people on this list wouldn't be there. And quite honestly, I'm really undecided about the #1 pick - Oprah Winfrey. Baltimore has always loved Oprah and include her as one of ours, and anyone who known only by their first name has definitely achieved icon status. I wouldn't have her as #1 on my list, but I think she might make my Top 10.
There, are you exhausted yet? I am! But just a few more thoughts on people I thought were missing from the list:
Aaron Spelling - how can his contributions to America television and Pop Culture be overlooked?
David Hasselhoff and Baywatch - the most popular TV show in the world and it's not on this list?
The Beach Boys - they epitomize the American dream of fun in the California sun, surfing, girls and hot cars
Dale Earnhart - the legacy he has left behind in his sport is overwhelming and very obviously overlooked by the listmakers
Okay, I'm finished with my rant. But I'd love to know what you think. Agree or disagree with me? E-mail me and let me know.
Thursday, July 10, 2003
Just follow the bouncing ball...
Here are some of my favorite lyrics from songs that are on the radio right now (country radio, that is). The italics are mine.
Dierks Bentley, "What Was I Thinkin'" - catchy tune from this newcomer
When a mountain of a man with a "Born to Kill" tattoo
Tried to cut in, I knocked out his front tooth
We ran outside, hood slidin' like Bo Duke
What was I thinkin'
Find complete lyrics here.
Brad Paisley, "Celebrity" - A great parody on all the reality shows
So let’s hitch up the wagons and head out west
To the land of fun in the sun
We’ll be real world, bachelor, jackass millionaires
Hey, hey Hollywood, here we come
Find complete lyrics here.
Here are some of my favorite lyrics from songs that are on the radio right now (country radio, that is). The italics are mine.
Dierks Bentley, "What Was I Thinkin'" - catchy tune from this newcomer
When a mountain of a man with a "Born to Kill" tattoo
Tried to cut in, I knocked out his front tooth
We ran outside, hood slidin' like Bo Duke
What was I thinkin'
Find complete lyrics here.
Brad Paisley, "Celebrity" - A great parody on all the reality shows
So let’s hitch up the wagons and head out west
To the land of fun in the sun
We’ll be real world, bachelor, jackass millionaires
Hey, hey Hollywood, here we come
Find complete lyrics here.
Wednesday, July 09, 2003
Captain Fantastic
Driving in to work this morning, I heard on the radio that Hugh Grant paid $450,000 for himself and 10 people to have dinner with Elton John. I smiled when I heard that because I almost had a similar situation for free. Actually, this is just a celebrity siting story, but it's a good excuse to tell it.
Several years ago, when I worked for another company, we were attending a trade show in Atlanta. Earlier in the day, I was driving through the city with a co-worker, Claudia, and mentioned that I heard on Oprah or something that Elton John kept an apartment in Atlanta, which she thought was interesting versus New York, San Francisco, etc.
Later that night, Claudia and I were with a group of other co-workers and the sales reps from our advertising agency, dining at "Prime" at the Lenox Square Mall. I was at the head of the table and Claudia was at the other end, directly across from me. Next to us was another large group of diners, obviously celebrating a birthday. Another co-worker had even made a comment when we walked in that they looked like "beautiful people."
Later, as the group of "beautiful people" was getting ready to leave, our waiter came over to me, bent his head down and whispered, "If you look over at the group that's leaving, you'll see Mr. Elton John." My head sprang up, I looked over, then looked back at Claudia. The waiter had just told her the same thing. Sure enough, there was Elton John putting on his coat and leaving the restaurant. We had been sitting next to Elton John for two hours and never even realized it! A very fun, cool experience.
Other celebrity sitings I experienced while traveling on business, some more interesting than others:
And then of course, the celeb-siting of them all - when I was 15 and my sister Vanessa was 13 we were traveling to California with our parents. On the way out there, we had to change planes in Pittsburgh. WWF wrestler Hercules Hernandez walked by us and Vanessa recognized him. (I didn't.) Since we had a layover, we followed him. When he arrived at his gate, there was a whole group of other wrestlers just sitting around waiting for their plane - Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, the Honkytonk Man and others (yes, I'm dating myself). We ran to the nearest news stand and bought a wrestling magazine and were able to get a bunch of autographs.
Ironically, while we were in Los Angeles, we didn't see any celebrities.
Driving in to work this morning, I heard on the radio that Hugh Grant paid $450,000 for himself and 10 people to have dinner with Elton John. I smiled when I heard that because I almost had a similar situation for free. Actually, this is just a celebrity siting story, but it's a good excuse to tell it.
Several years ago, when I worked for another company, we were attending a trade show in Atlanta. Earlier in the day, I was driving through the city with a co-worker, Claudia, and mentioned that I heard on Oprah or something that Elton John kept an apartment in Atlanta, which she thought was interesting versus New York, San Francisco, etc.
Later that night, Claudia and I were with a group of other co-workers and the sales reps from our advertising agency, dining at "Prime" at the Lenox Square Mall. I was at the head of the table and Claudia was at the other end, directly across from me. Next to us was another large group of diners, obviously celebrating a birthday. Another co-worker had even made a comment when we walked in that they looked like "beautiful people."
Later, as the group of "beautiful people" was getting ready to leave, our waiter came over to me, bent his head down and whispered, "If you look over at the group that's leaving, you'll see Mr. Elton John." My head sprang up, I looked over, then looked back at Claudia. The waiter had just told her the same thing. Sure enough, there was Elton John putting on his coat and leaving the restaurant. We had been sitting next to Elton John for two hours and never even realized it! A very fun, cool experience.
Other celebrity sitings I experienced while traveling on business, some more interesting than others:
- Jane Fonda, also in Atlanta, getting off an escalator in the CNN Center. Obviously, on her way to see Ted.
- Dan Reeves in Orlando, coming out of the convention center. It was a cardiology convention and this was just after his heart attack/Super Bowl win.
- LPGA golfer Laura Davies, in a hotel lobby in Minneapolis. It was my first real celebrity siting and I couldn't wait to call my dad and tell him.
And then of course, the celeb-siting of them all - when I was 15 and my sister Vanessa was 13 we were traveling to California with our parents. On the way out there, we had to change planes in Pittsburgh. WWF wrestler Hercules Hernandez walked by us and Vanessa recognized him. (I didn't.) Since we had a layover, we followed him. When he arrived at his gate, there was a whole group of other wrestlers just sitting around waiting for their plane - Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, the Honkytonk Man and others (yes, I'm dating myself). We ran to the nearest news stand and bought a wrestling magazine and were able to get a bunch of autographs.
Ironically, while we were in Los Angeles, we didn't see any celebrities.
Monday, July 07, 2003
Waterbaby
Hayley went swimming for the first time on the Fourth and it was a great experience. I had bought her a Floaties swim seat and she was all decked out in her new glittery bathing suit, plus lots of sunscreen, her hat and sunglasses. We stood on the steps of the pool to get used to the water first and I splashed her arms and legs, then it was into the seat. She loved it! She started kicking her legs right away. No crying or fussing at all. Then, she actually stuck her face in the water and started blowing bubbles. She's a natural! And I was really impressed at how well the Huggies swim diapers work - much better than a regular diaper!
Of course, I took lots of cute pictures, but with the "regular" camera. Now that I have this website, I'll have to start using the digital camera more so I can post photos in a timely manner. I'll have to edit this post with the appropriate photo once I get the roll developed. (edited 8/2/03 to add pictures)
Also, my mom continued the tradition she started with my two sisters and me with my nieces and Hayley - matching 4th of July outfits. Even though it was late in the day and Hayley was worn out from swimming, she cooperated for a picture with my nieces Kaitlyn and Kara.
Hayley went swimming for the first time on the Fourth and it was a great experience. I had bought her a Floaties swim seat and she was all decked out in her new glittery bathing suit, plus lots of sunscreen, her hat and sunglasses. We stood on the steps of the pool to get used to the water first and I splashed her arms and legs, then it was into the seat. She loved it! She started kicking her legs right away. No crying or fussing at all. Then, she actually stuck her face in the water and started blowing bubbles. She's a natural! And I was really impressed at how well the Huggies swim diapers work - much better than a regular diaper!
Of course, I took lots of cute pictures, but with the "regular" camera. Now that I have this website, I'll have to start using the digital camera more so I can post photos in a timely manner. I'll have to edit this post with the appropriate photo once I get the roll developed. (edited 8/2/03 to add pictures)
Also, my mom continued the tradition she started with my two sisters and me with my nieces and Hayley - matching 4th of July outfits. Even though it was late in the day and Hayley was worn out from swimming, she cooperated for a picture with my nieces Kaitlyn and Kara.
Good Morning, America
My husband and I are big fans of NBC's Soledad O'Brien and loved watching her on Weekend Today. So we were sad to hear last Sunday that she was leaving. For some reason, I had missed any buzz about her leaving and where she might end up. So I was extremely happy to see the commercials this weekend for the new "American Morning" on CNN with host Soledad O'Brien. Congratulations Soledad!
I only get to see the first 15 or 20 minutes of any of the morning shows since Hayley and I are out the door around 7:15 am, but since my mom was babysitting for us this morning, I didn't have to leave until 7:30 am and could watch the first half hour. The chemistry isn't quite there yet, but I didn't expect it to be on the first day. I watched quite a bit of Bill Hemmer during CNN's early morning war coverage while feeding the baby and I think he and Soledad will make a good team. Just from what I saw this morning, I'm not that fond of Jack Cafferty, but I'm really not that familar with him, so it remains to be seen. I'm looking forward to watch "American Morning" in the coming weeks.
And of course, I was wondering what happened to Paula Zahn - did she get the boot? No, she's moving to primetime on CNN, with a headline show and the forthcoming "American Evening."
My husband and I are big fans of NBC's Soledad O'Brien and loved watching her on Weekend Today. So we were sad to hear last Sunday that she was leaving. For some reason, I had missed any buzz about her leaving and where she might end up. So I was extremely happy to see the commercials this weekend for the new "American Morning" on CNN with host Soledad O'Brien. Congratulations Soledad!
I only get to see the first 15 or 20 minutes of any of the morning shows since Hayley and I are out the door around 7:15 am, but since my mom was babysitting for us this morning, I didn't have to leave until 7:30 am and could watch the first half hour. The chemistry isn't quite there yet, but I didn't expect it to be on the first day. I watched quite a bit of Bill Hemmer during CNN's early morning war coverage while feeding the baby and I think he and Soledad will make a good team. Just from what I saw this morning, I'm not that fond of Jack Cafferty, but I'm really not that familar with him, so it remains to be seen. I'm looking forward to watch "American Morning" in the coming weeks.
And of course, I was wondering what happened to Paula Zahn - did she get the boot? No, she's moving to primetime on CNN, with a headline show and the forthcoming "American Evening."
Wednesday, July 02, 2003
She Loves to Laugh, She Loves to Sing...
To echo Pineapple Girl's sentiments, I would buy a new Ford based solely on their use of Journey's "Any Way You Want It" in their summer ad campaign.
To echo Pineapple Girl's sentiments, I would buy a new Ford based solely on their use of Journey's "Any Way You Want It" in their summer ad campaign.
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
A Magazine for Women
A few weeks ago, I purchased a copy of the new Lifetime magazine. I love Lifetime TV - Television for Women - so why wouldn't I like the magazine? Overall, I did like it. The most noticeable and most positive thing that stood out was the type of advertising. Not a size 1 model in sight. Definitely not Cosmo or Glamour. But not frumpy Good Housekeeping-type ads, either. Ads for "Just My Size," Fruit of the Loom "Fit for Me," and Sears Apostrophe business clothes, plus the usual cosmetics and health & beauty aids. I found the content realistic and useful, even the fashion section, and read the entire issue from cover to cover.
However, I did have a problem with one article. The article was titled, "From Welfare Mom to Legal Eagle," and actually, I had more than one problem with the article. First, I think it was trying to do or say too much and the message was lost. It was supposed to be an article about a mother and housewife whose husband left her without any means of supporting herself. She had to go on welfare for a while to support her children, but eventually she succeeded by going back to school, getting a law degree and becoming a family law attorney to help women who were in the same situation as she was. But the article got bogged down in how her ex-husband was a deadbeat dad who didn't pay child support, which obviously made her situation worse, but could have been the topic of a separate article.
But most distracting was that I didn't feel the woman who was featured in the article, Pam Cave, was exactly the best role model to try and illustrate to other women how to succeed as a single mother. In the beginning of the article, when she's first down on her luck, she's described as the mother of three young children and nearly penniless. However, the subhead of the article and all of the photos show her with five children. As you read along, you discover the following:
"Pam and Eric had three kids in three years, but the marriage quickly disintegrated. 'Eric was unfaithful, couldn't keep a job and suffered from depression,' Pam says. In 1989, he moved out. Phillip was two and a half; April one; and Tricia just a couple of months old. Eventually, Eric came back. In 1990, with Pam pregnant again with their fourth child, he moved out for good - and in with another woman."
The next paragraph talks about how Eric stopped paying support after he moved out, then:
"Despite it all, Pam kept trying to help Eric. 'He was my children's father,' she says. 'I couldn't have him sleeping on the street.' (In 1992, she briefly reunited with Eric and conceived a fifth child, Thomas.)"
I'm sorry, but any sympathy I had for this woman went out the door when I read that paragraph. How could she be stupid enough to get pregnant by this guy, not once, but twice, when they were practically destitute and barely able to put food on the table? And when she knew what kind of man he was? He wasn't supporting his first three children - why would he support two more?
I also didn't like the fact that the article's writer just glossed over the fifth child by relegating him to a mention in parentheses. I think that this is a pretty big deal.
Before I get a bunch of e-mails about how unsympathetic or cold-hearted I am, let me just say that I do feel for women in this position. I know there are tens of thousands of deadbeat dads out there who owe millions in child support and they should have to pay in whatever way possible. And I don't think there should be a stigma attached to welfare if it is used the way it was intended - as a temporary solution, not a way of life. And people do make mistakes. But the fact that this specific woman was charmed and conned by her ex-husband, or not smart enough to use some kind of birth control, and had two more children in the midst of a desperate situation is, quite frankly, inexcusable. That's my opinion and I know there are some of you who won't agree with me. But this only happened in the early '90's, not the '60's, where women have choices about education, job training, working outside the home, and control over their own bodies. I think Lifetime Magazine could have found someone else to illustrate the point they were trying to make with this article.
A few weeks ago, I purchased a copy of the new Lifetime magazine. I love Lifetime TV - Television for Women - so why wouldn't I like the magazine? Overall, I did like it. The most noticeable and most positive thing that stood out was the type of advertising. Not a size 1 model in sight. Definitely not Cosmo or Glamour. But not frumpy Good Housekeeping-type ads, either. Ads for "Just My Size," Fruit of the Loom "Fit for Me," and Sears Apostrophe business clothes, plus the usual cosmetics and health & beauty aids. I found the content realistic and useful, even the fashion section, and read the entire issue from cover to cover.
However, I did have a problem with one article. The article was titled, "From Welfare Mom to Legal Eagle," and actually, I had more than one problem with the article. First, I think it was trying to do or say too much and the message was lost. It was supposed to be an article about a mother and housewife whose husband left her without any means of supporting herself. She had to go on welfare for a while to support her children, but eventually she succeeded by going back to school, getting a law degree and becoming a family law attorney to help women who were in the same situation as she was. But the article got bogged down in how her ex-husband was a deadbeat dad who didn't pay child support, which obviously made her situation worse, but could have been the topic of a separate article.
But most distracting was that I didn't feel the woman who was featured in the article, Pam Cave, was exactly the best role model to try and illustrate to other women how to succeed as a single mother. In the beginning of the article, when she's first down on her luck, she's described as the mother of three young children and nearly penniless. However, the subhead of the article and all of the photos show her with five children. As you read along, you discover the following:
"Pam and Eric had three kids in three years, but the marriage quickly disintegrated. 'Eric was unfaithful, couldn't keep a job and suffered from depression,' Pam says. In 1989, he moved out. Phillip was two and a half; April one; and Tricia just a couple of months old. Eventually, Eric came back. In 1990, with Pam pregnant again with their fourth child, he moved out for good - and in with another woman."
The next paragraph talks about how Eric stopped paying support after he moved out, then:
"Despite it all, Pam kept trying to help Eric. 'He was my children's father,' she says. 'I couldn't have him sleeping on the street.' (In 1992, she briefly reunited with Eric and conceived a fifth child, Thomas.)"
I'm sorry, but any sympathy I had for this woman went out the door when I read that paragraph. How could she be stupid enough to get pregnant by this guy, not once, but twice, when they were practically destitute and barely able to put food on the table? And when she knew what kind of man he was? He wasn't supporting his first three children - why would he support two more?
I also didn't like the fact that the article's writer just glossed over the fifth child by relegating him to a mention in parentheses. I think that this is a pretty big deal.
Before I get a bunch of e-mails about how unsympathetic or cold-hearted I am, let me just say that I do feel for women in this position. I know there are tens of thousands of deadbeat dads out there who owe millions in child support and they should have to pay in whatever way possible. And I don't think there should be a stigma attached to welfare if it is used the way it was intended - as a temporary solution, not a way of life. And people do make mistakes. But the fact that this specific woman was charmed and conned by her ex-husband, or not smart enough to use some kind of birth control, and had two more children in the midst of a desperate situation is, quite frankly, inexcusable. That's my opinion and I know there are some of you who won't agree with me. But this only happened in the early '90's, not the '60's, where women have choices about education, job training, working outside the home, and control over their own bodies. I think Lifetime Magazine could have found someone else to illustrate the point they were trying to make with this article.
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
This is why I've never written a review on Amazon...
I just visited a great new blog, thanks to a referral from Natalie at "My Ramblings". If you want to be entertained for a few minutes, visit Amazon World, described as "Highlighting some of the more interesting user reviews found on Amazon.com." It will make you laugh, it will make you cry... and it will make you fear for the future of our youth.
I just visited a great new blog, thanks to a referral from Natalie at "My Ramblings". If you want to be entertained for a few minutes, visit Amazon World, described as "Highlighting some of the more interesting user reviews found on Amazon.com." It will make you laugh, it will make you cry... and it will make you fear for the future of our youth.
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