The Treasures That Moving Day Uncovers...

So my aunt & uncle moved to St. Augustine recently and during the moving process, they uncovered some memorabilia that they thought I'd be interested in. They couldn't have been more right.

Lemme introduce you to Lee Ann Oleson - Brown - Salano.

My Mom. The reason for my existence, the 'wind beneath my wings' so to speak. Sorry folks but there's no mom on earth who loved more than my Mom loves me. I wish I knew when this picture was taken but I'm guessing from the beehive-do it must've been early 1970's. Check out that smile, those eyes. Full of dreams and a promising future, wouldn't you say? This picture was obviously taken before the demands of raising three children - myself and my brother only 15 months apart and the 'baby' 2 more years later and obviously a 'blessed accident' - and years with an adulterous husband tried to take the sparkle outta those eyes and put some wrinkles in the face...

She is a beauty - always was. I always felt honored when people told me 'Awwww... you look just like your Mom!' She was brilliant, funny, interesting... and when I was a teenager - overbearing, irritating and ignorant. You know that period of your life that you go through and feel that your parents are against you?? I was convinced she was out to ruin my life.

But I learned, she enriched my life more than she ever knew. I have a vivid memory of a time in my early 20's, sitting at my desk at my work when it hit me - my Mom wasn't out to ruin me at all. As a matter of fact, she did know quite a lot about a lot of things!! She did care about me and love me unconditionally!! Eureka! What a discovery that was. I immediately bought a Hallmark card where I scratched out my feeble revelations of how I wish I had known that she was right all along and if I had known this all those years ago (back when I was 15 years old) I wouldn't have treated her so badly all that time. I declared my love, devotion and gratitude to her and that I would try to be 'better'. But you know what?? She knew I'd come to that day all along... musta been hell for her waiting for me to grow up. If it had've been me, I woulda killed somebody like me.

My Mom is gone now - died from breast cancer years ago at the age of 61 - but I'll never, EVER forget her or what she's done for me. Remembering her strength makes me strong today. Remembering her compassion and selflessness makes me more compassionate. Remembering her laughter - especially at some of the dumbest jokes ever written makes me smile. It is an honor to be her daughter.

P.S. To my brother & sister ---> don't get your panties in a wad... we all know Mom loved you both too but she loved me more cuz she had me first!! ROFLMAO ;)

Gimme My Shades... The FUTURE Looks So Bright!

Thought we should update you guys on some things that Fathead and Madseason have been dealing with lately. All things are good, we are busy (as usual!), still loving life, are looking forward to Thanksgiving and feeling the pressure of getting the Christmas holiday shopping in gear… (…the added pressure resulting from retail starting advertising for the Christmas season BEFORE Halloween… WTF was that all about?? Christmas displays up and holiday music playing in all the stores in October?!?! Try to shop for a Michael Myers or Freddie Krueger costume with ‘Silent Night, Holy Night’ playing in the background!

“Excuse me salesperson but what aisle do you keep your vampire teeth and containers of blood on? Next to the tinsel and the manger scenes? A Merry Christmas to you too!”

Something’s not right about that experience. Like the months of November and December don’t give me enough time to stress over what to buy my loved ones – let’s add the month of October too! Double doses of Wellbutrin anyone?? Wonder if I can fit Prozac in a Pez dispenser…)

For a few weeks now, I’ve been considering a job change and am currently in negotiations for literally my ‘dream job’. I love where I work and was glad to have the opportunity to get back into the project controls field of construction management – however, I have been communicating with a company that I worked for years ago for the most ideal position, insane pay increase, awesome benefits, potential for advancement out the wazoo… This in conjunction with the fact that Fathead has been facing caretaker issues for her aging parents who live in Tennessee - that situation continues to become increasingly more critical. We’ve presented them with several options including relocating to live with us (which would require us to buy a bigger home - and more meds!). 'It’s too far,' they say. 'Florida sucks,' they say. Well, I paraphrase but that’s basically what we get from them. Independent retirement community? 'Too expensive – plus there are OLD people there.' Hmmmmm. Anyway, after a shot of tequila Fathead calls her mom and tries to counsel her. When she hangs up from these conversations with her mom, I have to restrain her from pulling her hair out. In any case, resolving her parents’ living situation is top on our list of ‘things to do’.

The new job possibility will require relocation and will move us closer to her parents. If it all works out, it will be a ‘no brainer’ decision and a win-win for all involved. However, relocation presents a whole host of other problems (renting out our Florida home, finding a new place to live, employment transfer possibilities for Fathead and – this is most important – what will we do if we have to move away from Rick at Florida Custom Cycles?!?!? Wonder if he’s interested in tagging along…)

Nothing has been decided yet but we are optimistic. I’m a firm believer that all things happen for a really good reason and if it happens, great. If not, that’s great too. In the meantime, it consumes a great deal of time and consideration and has put us in ‘limbo’ with making any future plans in the next few weeks. Wish us luck and we’ll keep you posted!

P.S. If this DOESN'T work out, I'm gonna need Dr. Kevorkian's number. Not for myself, mind you... but for a couple of Tennessee residents...

LOL! Just kidding... just kidding...

Looking for somewhere to spend that extra money for the Holidays??

The Fathead came up with a great suggestion last week. Normally she and I try to do something special for others each Christmas season - we are so blessed and want to be a blessing to others... For the past couple of years we volunteered to 'adopt a family' through a local organization and tried to provide Christmas for families who weren't financially able to do for themselves. It was always fun to shop for others and we enjoyed it. Plus, it was an opportunity to buy those noisy, obnoxious toys for those little ones to make their parents' Holiday season more exciting!! (Scroll down to Kid Story #3: Justification for a Plastic Bird) LOL! Buying stuff the parents won't buy for their kids is a childless person's mission in life! I think my sister still harbors resentment for that Fisher Price Corn Popper thingey I gave my niece all those years ago...

However last week Fathead said "Let's adopt a soldier this year..."

FANTASTIC IDEA! Why didn't I think of that sooner?!?!?

So Google presented us with OperationMilitaryPride.org

They let you request a specific branch of the military as well as the gender of the deployed military person. A few minutes after I sent the email, I received a response that Fathead and I are the proud 'adopters' of a girl!! Her name is Veronyka and although we don't know (or aren't allowed to know...) much about her, we were given her name, her mailing address and her 'wish list'. You'd be amazed at how little she's asked for - and how easy it is to meet her needs. Candy? Gum? Magazines? Stationery and mailing envelopes? Playing cards and poker chips? Geez... This is all doable!

After bugging OperationMilitaryPride.org with questions about her, they offered her email address. Yayyyy! Instead of waiting more than a month to contact her (we mailed her letters with pictures the same day we received her address) she responded within the same day! She finds it humorous that she's been 'adopted' but obviously appreciates the contact - and the support. We get emails from her daily now and found out that she's in the Navy, has been in the military for 12 years, has a husband and a small son here in the States and is currently stationed in Iraq.

What an awesome - and rewarding - opportunity this has become for the Fathead and I. Now our grocery shopping includes looking for those things that 'our Veronyka' might like... putting aside small treats to go in 'our Veronyka's' next care package. Knowing she's there in our military doing her job for US - she's there for US - has put an entirely different perspective on our Holiday season. Criticize if you want but I totally support our military and know that our country would not be here today as we know it if it weren't for our military. Pontificate on the brutality of war if you like but know this: it is necessary. Go read your history books. Our military is our strength - and for those who think we can benignly sit back and debate our way to resolution with radical extremist governments are ignorant. And whether you agree with this or not, the military personnel that are involved are just doing their jobs. There's no need to penalize them because there are those who don't support their 'employer'. Veronyka - and all the other thousands of military troops - are serving for ME, I am grateful and appreciate the opportunity to do something for them.

Plus - IT'S FUN! We just sent our first two boxes - 'care packages' - loaded with candy, packs of gum, stationery and envelopes, personal hygiene stuff like razors, soap, Chapstick, granola bars, stockings loaded with toys - yes, TOYS! - like Slinkies, Frisbees, Nerf balls, playing cards... Oh yeah - and Veronyka is getting her own Santa hat. Figured those might be hard to come by over there... She will certainly be the best dressed soldier at Christmas!

I just wish Fathead had've thought of this sooner. We've got a lot of making up for lost time to do!

Photo courtesy of OperationMilitaryPride.org

Ho ho ho everyone!

Non-PC Joke Of The Day

Skinny little white guy goes into an elevator, looks up and sees this HUGE black guy standing next to him.

The big guy sees the little guy staring at him, looks down and says: "7 feet tall, 350 pounds, 20 inch private, 3 pound testicles, Turner Brown." The white man faints and falls to the floor.

The big guy kneels down and brings him to, shaking him. The big guy says: "What's wrong with you?"

In a weak voice the little guy says, "What EXACTLY did you say to me?"

The big dude says: "I saw your curious look and figured I'd just give you the answers to the questions everyone always asks me..... I'm 7 feet tall, I weigh 350 pounds, I have a 20 inch private, my testicles weighs 3 pounds each, and my name is Turner Brown."

The small guy says: "Turner Brown?!...Sweet Jesus, I thought you said, "TURN AROUND!"



::giggle::

I LOVE jokes like that!

Have a nice day!

Yet Another Display of BMW Owners' Arrogance...

Okay, for those who haven't picked up on it yet, I ride a motorcycle. I love riding. I ride as often as possible for as long as possible (and by the way, thanks Harley Davidson for the 4 gallon gas tank! No need to stop for over 200+ miles - unless I have to pee!!) Riding is a passion of mine - a very empowering, mind-clearing, therapeutic, thrilling, often dangerous passion. I have met some of the most awesome people who share this same passion and have had some incredible times!!

Bikers ride all kinds - from rusted-out heaps to sport bikes and top dollar cruisers with more chrome bling than Tiffany's. These people are CEO's and doctors and lawyers and blue collar workers and women of all ages and military veterans and people from all walks of life. Riding a motorcycle puts you into a community of others where everyone shares the same passion and it has become more common to hear among the motorcycle community 'it doesn't matter what you ride as long as you ride'. The biker image may initially elicit thoughts of apprehension and suspicion of shady characters looking for some unsuspecting soul to harrass - however, that image is changing. There are still the 'Easy Rider' types - but I'd be willing to bet if you needed help, these scary types with the long ponytails, copious earrings and covered with tats would be the first one to step up, open their wallets, offer their hand or give you the shirt off their back. These are usually the ones who attend charity events because they want to help. They are loyal, committed, generous - but don't fuck with them.

Not one of these awesome people that I've met ride BMW motorcycles. Not one. Perhaps it has been coincidence that I've never met a BMW rider cuz they're out there, somewhere. But perhaps it is because of an attitude like this:

I presented the flyer and info about this ride to our governing officers on Oct. 30th. I had printed the flyer prior to the meeting and didn't really pay much attention to it. Upon presentation, many of our officers noticed the image and were appauled that such an image was used to attract us and other motorcyclists in Jacksonville. I too am very offended by the image and embarassed to have even mentioned it.

Is this what *** (name of company removed) thinks is a good representation of motorcyclists today ?
Do you think for one second that the outlaw bikers are the ones that support all the charity events around the country each year ??
Are these the type of riders you are trying to attract for your ride ??

Many uneducated members of the public already think of motorcyclists as being scary outlaw types anyway. This flyer only helps to perpetuate such a stereotype. We will not be participating. Perhaps we'll come down and protest. I have already spoken to my friends in the HOG club as well.

Mr. Arrogant Windbag (name of asshole removed)
President BMW Owners of North East FL.

This is the image that this loser has an issue with:

(Keep in mind this Ride is sponsored by a utility company and the gray helmet is supposed to slightly resemble a hardhat...)

Mr. Arrogant Windbag:

Okay... first of all, the event is to benefit a charitable organization (a large well-known agency) so why you are choosing to be an ass will not only reflect negatively on you and your 'Club' (yawn...) but you are hurting a host of others who will never be the recipient of the funds that could have been raised because of your elitist attitude.

Second of all, bikers support charity events and you'd know this if you ever went to one. All those poker runs? They are for a purpose you idiot! Bikers are extremely generous and are the first to organize a function to help a downed biker and his/her family, a life threatening illness, contributing to national agencies such as United Way or March of Dimes...

Thirdly - and probably most importantly - who in the hell are you calling 'outlaw bikers'?? Anyone who doesn't ride a BMW? If you knew anything about the motorcycle community, you would not toss this term around lightly. Your arrogance is clouding any better judgment you should have... It's obnoxious people like YOU, Mr. Windbag, who perpetuate the negative images and you would do well to remember that people are PEOPLE and you are no better than me or anyone else.

What people ride is their personal preference, Mr. Windbag - just like you'd never catch me spending one dollar on a BMW motorcycle. Never. It is my preference. You are NO ONE'S JUDGE, Mr. Windbag and before you criticize the personal choices of others, you should concentrate on looking in the mirror. Seems you have a host of issues of your own to deal with.

Oh... and Dennis Hopper?? I LOVE YOU MANNNNNNN!

WARNING: Unabashed Blog Promotion here...

(why am I posting a 'warning' sign on my own blog?!?!? Geez... like I might offend someone... It's MY fucking blog and I can do what I want! If there's no where else in this world I can do that, I can do that HERE dammit!)

::shrug::

Onto the blog promotion:

I've stumbled onto this guy's blog - can't remember exactly from where - but I'm glad I did. This guy is an absolute RIOT! Go see him and say 'Hi'!! I've spent waaaayyyyy too much time over there today but if you get a minute, pop in.

Another warning: a 'spew alert' is in effect, trust me. He's so 'in your face' about everyday things that you can't help become an instant fan!!

Happy Halloween!!

Few things move me...

... but DAYUM! I am copying this from my motorcycle club's forum as few things move me to tears but this guy definitely did. Goose pimples, heartfelt emotions that I simply cannot blame on PMS. I hope you enjoy (seems like an insufficient word) this as much as we did.

Mobile Phone Salesman

-Fathead

Another Breaking Development from the NFL...

You have GOT to be kidding me... this is news???

"Breaking news from the office of Ray Anderson, the NFL's vice president of football operations: cheerleaders can be visually distracting." (Andy Behrens, Yahoo Sports, 9/23/2007). Andy Behrens goes on to say "Whatever else you think about the NFL, know that they will not allow team-affiliated cheerleaders to put on distracting displays, nor will the league allow these girls to be objectified or commodified."

For real. This is breaking news, folks. Read about it here: http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/nfl/news?slug=ab-sundayscene_092307

::blink::

One of MadSeason's major pet peeves: Females who engage in anything that makes them look like bimbos. They give the rest of us a bad name...

Are We Surprised?

What is it with celebs that think that they can get by with murder? No pun intended... well, maybe a little intended.

The arrest of OJ on felony charges in Las Vegas under the guise that he was retrieving property stolen from him via memorabilia dealers including his Hall of Fame certificate and a photo with former FBI cross dresser, J. Edgar Hoover.(http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_6921679)

So, let's wrap my head around this... someone steals the stuff from memorabilia dealers (is he trying to sell the stuff to settle the civil suit judgement against him?), he breaks into the room of the guys that stole it and allegedly assaults them with a deadly weapon and then robs them at gun point of the stuff they robbed from the dealer?

Sure, he's being held without bond but this is my point... why didn't OJ call the police and have them retrieve the merchandise instead of attempting to handle it himself? Did he take one too many hits back in the day? These damn celebs think they are above the law and unfortunately, that seems to be the case most of the time as illustrated with Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie and Lindsey Lohan.

TENJOOBERRYMUDS!!

I wish I could give proper credit to whomever wrote this but I copied and pasted this from an email I got today. Thanks - whoever you are!!

OH... and if you're easily offended, be warned that I don't give a shit about being 'PC' so read at your own risk. And don't come crying to me. You were warned.

In order to continue getting by in America (our home land), we all need to learn the NEW English language! Practice by reading the following conversation until you are able to understand the term "TENJOOBERRYMUDS". With a little patience, you'll be able to fit right in with the growing trend!!! Now, here goes...

The following is a telephone exchange between a hotel guest and room-service:

Room Service (RS): "Morrin. Roon sirbees."

Guest (G): "Sorry, I thought I dialed room-service."

RS: " Rye . Roon sirbees...morrin! Joowish to oddor sunteen???"

G: "Uh..... Yes, I'd like to order bacon and eggs."

RS: "Ow July den?"

G: ".....What??"

RS: "Ow July den?!?... pryed, boyud, poochd?"

G: "Oh, the eggs! How do I like them? Sorry... scrambled,please."

RS: "Ow July dee baykem? Crease?"

G: "Crisp will be fine."

RS: "Hokay. An Sahn toes?"

G: "What?"

RS: "An toes. July Sahn toes?"

G: "I... don't think so"

RS: "No? Judo wan sahn toes???"

G: "I feel really bad about this, but I don't know what 'judo wansahn toes' means."

RS: "Toes! Toes! Why Joo don Juan toes? Ow bow Anglish moppin we bodder?"

G: "Oh, English muffin!!! I've got it! You were saying'toast'... Fine..Yes, an English muffin will be fine."

RS: "We bodder?"

G: "No, just put the bodder on the side."

RS: "Wad?!?"

G: "I mean butter... just put the butter on the side."

RS: "Copy?"

G: "Excuse me?"

RS: "Copy...tea...meel?"

G: "Yes. Coffee, please... and that's everything."

RS: "One Minnie. Scramah egg, crease baykem, Anglish moppin, we bodder on sigh and copy.. ye??"

G: "Whatever you say."

RS: "Tenjooberrymuds."

G: "You're welcome."

Letting the day go by

It's on the news. There are local events commemorating the event. There is a war as a result of this event. People of many nations, colors and religions have sacrificed life as a result of this singular catapult of an event. We cannot let the day pass without recognizing the valiant men and women that responded on that dreadful day and those that continue to respond to the call to service by the leaders of their country. We salute them. We honor them. God Bless our men and women in uniform.

Where were you when the first plane hit?

All Talk, No Substance

Do you ever hear from Jodie Foster on politics or Brooke Shields? I remember growing up and hearing about them putting their careers on hold to attend college and yet I don't hear their names come up too often in the political rhetoric that escapes Hollywood like a stinky fart.

Who knew that the likes of Tiger Woods studied economics at Stanford, Paul Newman has a degree in English, that Gene Simmons majored in education (imagine that class!!) or that Mira Sorvino is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and has a degree in Asian Studies from Harvard? These folks I would probably respect if they spoke out concerning politics. I may not agree with them but I would at least respect them more than the the Sean Penn's of the world who studied auto mechanics and speech, or the Alec Baldwin's who dropped out of college or let's even talk about Rosie O'Donnell who completed high school but dropped out of college.

Okay, I know... you don't have to have book learnin' to be intelligent. I totally understand that. Hell, my great grandmother had a 3rd grade education but could spell better and was better at math than most college graduates that I know today. It just makes me wonder why it is that those that have a higher education are not as out spoken concerning their political views and definitely do not make those empty threats of living in another country if the election doesn't go their way? Could it be that their politics do not agree with mainstream Hollywood and to avoid being black balled and in order to keep their jobs they keep quiet?
I dunno.

One thing is for sure, actors are paid to act. Folks need to take a hard look at who is speaking before they take the information or opinion as gospel.

We Believe. Live It. Ride It.

This sums it up: http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2835394

175 miles later...

... and I feel like myself again.

Today I had the day off and Sonya needed a new turn signal lense for her bike. So I called the HD dealership in Brunswick, GA but had toyed with going to Daytona(because we hate the local dealership in Jax) to make sure that they had the part in. They assured me that they did.
I took off around 9:25a and headed north on Hwy 17. It was a perfect morning. At one point I had my cruise control set at 65 mph, riding under a canopy of trees with my right leg kicked out and "Magic Carpet Ride" was playing on my MP3 player. It's moments like that that I understand why you don't see motorcycles in front of psychiatrist's offices.

Oh sure, when I got to the dealership they didn't have the right lenses because the chick that told the guy what I needed didn't specify that they were bullet lights so when he called back and said that they had them, well, they didn't have the right lenses. I wasn't even mad. How can you be mad when you have had just an almost perfect ride?? Ended up going into Jax to our mechanic, Rick, and he had them laying around the shop and ended up costing me $5 for two instead of whatever HD costs. Even that was a good experience. Traffic in Jax wasn't bad, I stopped by to see Sonya, and the ride home was uneventful. The only downside to the day was that Sonya wasn't along. I miss seeing her in my mirrors... or better yet, enjoy the view when she's leading!

So, 175 miles to be myself again. It's a win-win situation. I love to ride and it's cheaper than a psychiatrist visit.

- Fathead

Apparently Laws Don't Apply to Celebs... WTF?!?!

Are you f*cking KIDDING ME?? Read this: "...Lohan was charged earlier in the day with seven misdemeanors stemming from two drunken-driving arrests in the last four months..." Not one but TWO DUI's!!

Then get this: "...Lindsay Lohan reached a plea deal Thursday on misdemeanor drunken driving and cocaine charges that calls for her to spend one day in jail, serve 10 days of community service and complete a drug treatment program..." (bold letters mine)

Here's another one: "...LOS ANGELES - Nicole Richie was released from jail Thursday after serving 82 minutes of a four-day sentence for driving under the influence of drugs..." (all bold letters, again all mine...)

I'm really naive. I thought that with the rise in alcohol-related traffic crashes and fatalities, stiffer penalties were being designed to deter (dare I say, PREVENT!?!) driving while drinking or doing drugs or whatever... What kind of message does this send out, especially to our younger generation? I can't see how Loser Lohan or Ritchie (or goofy Paris) can get away with behaving like lunatics, endangering life and/or property and let's face it: breaking the law by driving drunk!! This infuriates me beyond words!! I mean, check out Ritchie's mug shot... someone tell this chick this is not a fashion photo shoot!!

Doesn't look to me like she's very worried - or very guilty about breaking the law...

My heart goes out to all of you who have lost someone to a drunk driver... Apparently our government is no closer to establishing harsher penalties than they've ever been and so those out driving around drunk and who manage to get pulled over, apparently all you have to do is drive by the jail and your case will be stamped 'time served'. Sheesh.

Civil Rights: A Rant.

Madseason has her rants. I have mine. I tend to piss people off with my opinionated self. If you are easily pissed off, don't read it. Be accountable for your choice.

A while back I was reading a bit in a book entitled "The Politically Incorrect Guide to History." Let's face it, I don't trust mainstream media or what they teach in schools. When the founding fathers get little more than a page in history that bothers me. Let's just say some things stick with me and this is one of those things I have been mulling over for a while.

The chapter that I was reading about was about Civil Rights. To be totally honest I have had an issue with the fact that if I were to go out and say "I'm proud to be white" I would be called a racist when in fact I am no more a racist than green is red. The Civil Rights Amendment of 1964, in and of itself, was momentous. I think that the fact that this legislation reached into the personal lives of Americans by prohibiting acts of segregation in public facilities and private establishments catering to the public. I am not saying that segregation is good but what I am saying is that the attempt for government to dictate personal action is wrong. It opened the door for federal authority over private behavior that continues to grow.

One other comment... notice that the Civil Rights Amendment never lists specific race, color or sex. Think about it. To hire someone just because they are purple is racial discrimination just as much as having an employment policy of white only. In fact, the percentage of blacks employed in upper end management did not improve in 1967 from where it had been in 1964 or 1964.

It was not until the creation of affirmative action that we see that a quota system implemented. What benefit did affirmative action have? According to this book by Thomas E. Woods, Jr., "The affirmative action programs started in 1971 (under President Richard Nixon, contrary to popular belief) were accompanied by an improvement in the condition of blacks at the higher end of the earning spectrum, while those least advantaged lagged further behind. Similar stories could be told about Asian and Hispanic employment." Bottom line, there was no benefit experienced by the Civil Rights amendment or affirmative action that were not already in effect.

One other little tidbit of information: democrats as a whole were against passage of the Civil Rights Amendment and interestingly enough over the last 20 years black migration has been away from the North and toward the South. Why? According to the majority of the blacks polled: because they feel they were treated equally. Funny how these things are not mentioned in textbooks or by mainstream media.

You want true equality, eliminate the questions concerning race and sex from all applications for employment and education and allow the individual be judged based on their accomplishments, talents, and abilities. What the color of my skin or whether I have a dick or not should not weigh into the equation of whether or not I can do a job. To judge me on either of those two precedents is an insult.

Elvis & Me

I don't usually blog here. It seems to be Madseason's world and I love reading her blogs. I have, on more than one occassion, laughed out loud and then been taken to the very other end of the emotional spectrum. So, please indulge me this brief blog.

Make no bones about it, I am a product of the 80's. Those were the years in which I was in high school and knew such words as Reaganomics, when Walkmans were cool and you were the something if you had a VHS player. That means I spent my childhood in the 70's. I can remember cars without seatbelts, riding my bike without a helmet and spending all day outside playing because being in the house meant chores. That was also a time of Elvis. I LOVED ELVIS. I was probably the only girl in elementary school that was not ga-ga over Shaun Cassidy. Instead I had a poster of Elvis over my bed that I kissed every night (on a side note, I must confess I did covet my brother's Farrah Faucet poster). Go figure. I wore our the ONLY Elvis album (that's right - ALBUM) that I had, 'Burning Love'. When my Dad and step monstor went to TJ's (the local watering hole) and gave me a quarter I always knew what two songs that I would play: 'Burning Love' and 'I'm all Shook Up'. When they took those off of the juke box I cried.

I also remember the day that Elvis died 30 years ago tomorrow. I was in Tappahanock, VA visiting my step monstor's sister for the summer. I remember hearing the news on the radio and it was as if time stood still. Rose (the sister) cried. I felt numb.

A few years ago I visited Graceland and at that time in complete denial that I was EVER a fan of Elvis. That's a shame. A person should always stand up for who they are.

I look back now and see things a little differently. It doesn't matter how big someone gets, how popular or how famous they still have their vulnerabilities just like the rest of us. They can get lost just as we can lose our way. Money, fame, fortune cannot change the very fact that they, just like any other person walking this earth, are human. So, to all of you that may read this I wish: "May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human enough hope to make you happy.”

As for my hope for me... in the words of Sinatra & Presley: "For what is a man, what has he got; If not himself, then he has not; To say the words he truly feels; And not the words he would reveal; The record shows I took the blows; And did it my way."

-Fathead

I guess everyone DOES have a price...

I saw this today on Yahoo! News and thought "A-HA!!! Now THERE'S a way to get the loser, deadbeat dads to finally be honest!" Years ago, my sister had two precious baby girls by a loser- drug addict-husband and once she finally divorced him, I'm not certain the guy paid a total of $1 U.S. dollar towards his court-ordered child support. My sister struggled with supporting the three of them for years (with a little help from myself and the rest of my family) and did an amazing job. Yes, she tried to hunt him down, had his wages garnished through social services... but just about the time she would be expecting her first payment, he'd quit his job and run. Years later, my sister met and married a guy who wanted to adopt the two girls as his own. Loser-deadbeat guy adamantly refused (and if you are wondering, YES, she HAD to ask his permission!! What a crock...). My sister and her hubby-to-be presented the loser-drug addict-sorry-excuse-for-a-father with the following option: give up his parental rights to both daughters and his growing back child support debt of $36,000 + will be erased.

He jumped on the offer.

Oh, he's still in touch with the girls... and yes, both girls being teens have been told what their birth father did. I think he's still being a DNA-donor and has fathered other children since. My suspicion is that he didn't learn anything and could care less. And if he still has two brain cells alive in that empty, irresponsible head of his, I'd be surprised. Fortunately, both girls are AWESOME despite their rough start in life and lack of fatherly support - both financially and emotionally - and have a family that they love.

If our government has found another way to force losers to step up, then I'm all for it. The fact that these losers have to be backed into a corner like this speaks volumes as to their own lack of values and self-worth. Wanna fly to the Caribbean for a vacation? Then PAY YOUR FUCKING CHILD SUPPORT, YOU MORON!

MadSeason <---stepping down off soapbox...

Psssst... can you tell I'm a little sensitive to this subject?!?!

And you thought YOU had it bad...

::trying to find the right words::

Check out the Post Secret site... The video brought tears to my eyes!! What did you think of it??

Thanks for the link, Crystal!!

Of Bloody Marys and Furniture...

I had the bestest weekend! Did nothing supremely special - yet the weekend itself was SPECIAL. Saturday, Fathead and I finally went to see the latest Harry Potter flick (and noticed that there was not one youngster in the audience! Everyone was a grown up! How cool is that?!?!) I had been promising Fathead a movie for many, many weeks and finally made good on it. It was worth it and was a great flick!

Then Sunday, having no plans - and yes, I have to admit did NOT plan to get the motorcycle out since it has been so friggin' H-O-T!! - we broke out the Bloody Marys fairly early. Yummy! Sitting around, sipping on the straw, munching on the olives, Fathead and I look at each other and say "Hey, let's rearrange the furniture!!" Geez. This became a production - and consumption of several more Bloody Marys ensued. We have some heavy stuff so there was the inevitable finger smashing, grunting, groaning... placement and re-placement of things... "How's that look there? A little more to the left? Your left or my left?" "Ok... lift with your legs, not with your back..." "Bite me!" Fathead made me laugh harder than I've laughed in ages... The deep, cleansing, side splitting laughter that causes you to lose your breath and makes your cheeks hurt... Eventually we finished, were pleased with the results and collapsed onto the sofa to veg out the rest of the afternoon.

Definitely a 5-star weekend!! Note to self: drink Bloody Marys AFTER rearranging furniture next time.

Amazon.com Continues to Fight the Bad Fight

The Humane Society of the U.S. is asking for a combined effort to appeal to Amazon.com to discontinue sale of magazines and videos that publicize animal fighting. I won't begin a rant about this because frankly it makes me so sad. I have been a frequent customer of Amazon.com over the years but apparently I am so naive that I didn't realize there are publications out there that market dog fighting, cock fighting and God only knows what else. It breaks my heart. If you feel as I do, you can email Amazon.com directly and let Jeffrey Bezos, Amazons' CEO know how YOU feel about their continued support and sale of these publications that condone animal fighting and abuse. It's up to you how you react - I am also naive enough to believe that each of us can help accomplish things.

Here is how to do it: https://community.hsus.org/campaign/US_2007_amazon_fighting3/in6e7xg2vijinn6?

With all the madness in the world... and then there's Matt...

... I stumbled upon this and it made me smile. For all the craziness in the world, you can't help but watch this guy do his thing and feel a little more light-hearted...
You GO, Matt!

He's apparently doing this for no reason but tends to draw people in (I especially love the shots where people start dancing with him!!) He has no hidden agenda, readily admits he's a 'deadbeat' but the part that I enjoy is he looks like he's having fun! FUN! Remember that concept?!?!

...and I suddenly don't feel so self conscious about the horrible way I dance anymore! LOL!

You can learn more about him here.

Turn Signals Are Not Optional!!

Ok... another rant. It's Monday after all and there would be a ton of subjects I could pontificate on (Thumper encountered one of my own pet peeves just recently so I won't revisit that one... yet...) one repeatedly annoys me on a daily basis...

I drive to work ~ 30 miles each way which gives me lots of time to review and critique the driving habits of others. On my stretch of I95 in northeast Florida, no matter the time of day you will see many vehicles with tags indicating various points of origin. I find myself wondering if these folks are headed toward their vacation destination, headed home from vacation, off to visit family members, heading south for the heat or heading north to get away from the heat... whatever. Those NOT from the state of Florida tend to invariably ride in the middle of the 3 lanes - whether they observe the posted speed limit or not. Around here, 18-wheelers are directed to use only the middle and far right lanes for travel. I have a lot of respect for truck drivers and try to stay out of their way, give them as much space and notify them of my intentions well in advance. It does not seem to be the practice of all other drivers, however, and we are all admittedly different in our driving habits and style.

But when you have a massive multi-ton truck behind you, in the middle lane, on your a$$, then you should MOVE and move quickly. Engage in a battle between your car and their truck, you will NOT win. They are bigger, they weigh dozens times more than your vehicle and are far less controllable than you. Do yourself a favor - MOVE. Find an opening and change lanes. When you see their grill in your review mirror, it is no longer a battle of arrogance - the truck wins. And do you have any idea how much these guys (and their respective companies) pay in road taxes?? As a matter of fact, they do own the road!!

But I digress...

The original purpose of this post was to identify a fact that has failed many, MANY drivers even as I was on the road this morning: your turn signals are not a suggestion!! How difficult is it to reach down (...yes, that's right... if you aren't on your cell phone, this would not be a hassle!) and flip that tiny little lever up or down to turn your blinker on to let those who follow know your intended path of travel?!?! A simple gesture, really, and one that indicates that you don't have your head up your a$$, you have come to terms with the fact that you are not the only driver on the planet and the world does not revolve around YOU. It is considerate. And I suppose in some places, a LAW.

And Part B of this rant - for God's sake, don't leave the turn signal on blinking incessantly as if you are in a perpetual state of left-hand turning... It's just stupid. It's like a little blinking indicator to all those behind that the driver of the vehicle is admitting "I'm a moron... I'm a moron... I'm a moron..."

It's dangerous, too. Take it from someone who rides a motorcycle and who relies heavily on the consideration and forethought of others. Be considerate. Use your turn signals - and remember to turn them off. We are all on our way to somewhere and a little courtesy can make for safer travels for everyone.

MICHAEL VICK SUCKS!!!!

Just gotta post this - Vick is a barbaric assh@le and I hope he suffers dearly for the suffering he's caused. I sent NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell a letter at https://community.hsus.org/campaign/US_2007_dogfighting_nfl2/

That's it. I just despise the guy and wanted to post it. What a loser he is...

Blogging ain't for sissies...

Have been working on learning this new 'blogging' thing. May take a while but the current challenge is to create a blogroll so we can add our pets and their blogs (!!) to our page - and vice versa...

Wish us luck!!

Ya learn somethin' new every day...

Greetings all! Welcome to the world of Fathead & Madseason - and Lucy, Jack, Thelma & Louise... Geez! What a houseful!