tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31070170019411073582024-03-05T11:03:19.113-08:00The Other Blog - Content: QuestionableJust some ramblings, opinions thoughts and events in the life of a retiree with a 6 year old.Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-78512241476642058102012-11-08T05:54:00.002-08:002012-11-08T05:54:39.769-08:00'Tis the Season .......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZQAUTCfc2AUHI4acBerkD7NBBg-XZve9UrCfsS9kQfKxUjVyMnDhgjt3hxnscsE4F7NSQ9-zQzVfykR8yr1ZVQBRuLgjKHtwQWi0gQ_ScyUr9hBWG04o7soJVWIFMsie9gALSuc8YBn_/s1600/image001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZQAUTCfc2AUHI4acBerkD7NBBg-XZve9UrCfsS9kQfKxUjVyMnDhgjt3hxnscsE4F7NSQ9-zQzVfykR8yr1ZVQBRuLgjKHtwQWi0gQ_ScyUr9hBWG04o7soJVWIFMsie9gALSuc8YBn_/s320/image001.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">My confession:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And
it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful
lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I
don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to
me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a
ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers
and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at
all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near
my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine
with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't
think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I
think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed
around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America
is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution
and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from
that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God ?
I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of
us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the
America we knew went to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">- - - - -</span></div>
<div style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh,
this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not
funny, it's intended to get you thinking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and
Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?'
(regarding Hurricane Katrina).. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound
and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by
this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of
our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives.
And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How
can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we
demand He leave us alone?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings,
etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered,
her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in
our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the
Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not
steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when
they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and
we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide).
We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></div>
<div style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience,
why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to
kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.</span></div>
<div style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can
figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE
SOW.'</span></div>
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<div style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder
why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers
say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes'
through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending
messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny
how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through
cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and
workplace</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></div>
<div style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Are you laughing yet?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,</span></div>
<div style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Ben Stein</span></div>
Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-39969472750992022572012-11-02T07:21:00.001-07:002012-11-02T07:21:14.849-07:00Then & Now<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rB0_cal8dxUbzZnnZZ3p9DjKbHOEidlLc3Tx16OzAMklKnkP9bJeHQzdZgI5lV-aTAHUXkNUwPDKtaay0XH3AvhmjfejORiwKX2QZC8d8mjPdwdadV2tcrVP5uYHjO3xDeJt_bN7OQu-/s1600/Navy+Seal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rB0_cal8dxUbzZnnZZ3p9DjKbHOEidlLc3Tx16OzAMklKnkP9bJeHQzdZgI5lV-aTAHUXkNUwPDKtaay0XH3AvhmjfejORiwKX2QZC8d8mjPdwdadV2tcrVP5uYHjO3xDeJt_bN7OQu-/s320/Navy+Seal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-54262833268647466292010-06-13T15:21:00.000-07:002010-06-13T15:43:54.646-07:00James taylor & Carole King Together in Concert - It Was All About the Music<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9ldxZaT7GC8sE2gZNha2-vXvHVE0-m-ndBPTe1in6vn5rB6qU7NgP5F2EPkdPKa0ZaPzY33NHF9BVk2vptGCsCOSVwdaiA5Nf5O-qQWIzsq1zUN3gMCAddGt3V5MFbaPVWDp7dqbW4vO/s1600/king-taylor.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 226px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482389624759692898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9ldxZaT7GC8sE2gZNha2-vXvHVE0-m-ndBPTe1in6vn5rB6qU7NgP5F2EPkdPKa0ZaPzY33NHF9BVk2vptGCsCOSVwdaiA5Nf5O-qQWIzsq1zUN3gMCAddGt3V5MFbaPVWDp7dqbW4vO/s400/king-taylor.jpg" /></a> A once-in-a-lifetime concert event swung through Tampa on Sunday evening, bringing the St Petersburg Times Forum almost to capacity. Carole King and James Taylor pushed it to the limit with their “Troubadour Reunion” show bringing their classic rock/pop sounds to the delight of the 16,000+ audience members. There were no lasers, smoke pots or pyrotechnics. Video screens suspended above a revolving stage encircled the performance area providing an intimate setting for an otherwise mammoth venue. The efforts to bring the audience closer personalized the music for a great evening of entertainment.<br /><br /><br /><br />It was all about the music of 2 singer/songwriter greats of the last half century. 40 years ago, the duo performed at the Troubadour Club in Los Angeles, a venue showcasing new talent as well as established bands & singers. The Troubadour reunion tour features many of the songs from the original concert as well as the newer offerings of the 2 pop icons. Several members of their original backup band deliver non-obtrusive accompaniment to their music.<br /><br /><br /><br />James Taylor, appearing a bit feeble for his 62 years, is always smooth and low key, even on his rockier numbers, carrying his offerings with superb showmanship – because he’s James Taylor. Taylor kicked it in several times during the show, but sat or stood at a mic as his music dictated for many of his works. He could do no wrong for his long time fans and they were not disappointed as he presented a generous sampling of his hits, as well as a few lesser known pieces. When introducing “Sweet Baby James”, he shared that the song was a lullaby written for the son of a cousin who named his child after JT. The boy liked to play ‘cowboy’. He was a regular ‘little buckaroo’, Taylor remembered fondly. “Steamroller Blues” takes longer to sing than it took to write and “Shower the People” is his Hymn for Agnostics.<br /><br /><br /><br />The big surprise of the evening was the performance of Carole King. At 68, she was spot on with her passion for her music and gracious to inform the audience that she was ‘co’writer of many of her compositions, giving credit, by name, to those with whom she shared the bill. She and Taylor shared the mic on her songs “Up on the Roof” and “You’ve Got a Friend” as well as providing background vocals and accompaniment for each other. The highlight of the evening was “I Feel the Earth Move” where Ms King rocked out, jumping and dancing, in some very cruel stilettos, a brave move for a woman pushing 70.<br /><br /><br /><br />There are still about 20 cities left on the tour schedule, so if you have the chance (not to mention the bucks) try to see this wonderful show. Taylor & King deliver a 2+ hour show that brings great memories and superb performances.Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-10503515581982438102010-05-13T14:25:00.000-07:002010-05-13T14:29:38.697-07:00Ya Never Know What Kinda Crap Will Show Up on This Blog - So, Here It Is - Review of Wynonna @ Silver Spurs Arena, May 9<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKimhH5PavAuuicAXVUAfqPr_Rzo3JiusfxiAcgwRV4rbPz7krm4W_dlGGVprzOeyouo4dELL4uhU0tRBTm0j0OC7rh2EQT0QrMVhNtUpa7eGESbzjNU5FuK4A8VJgwvJVPzGnOYFFmtT/s1600/wynonna-judd-mug-shot.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 297px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKimhH5PavAuuicAXVUAfqPr_Rzo3JiusfxiAcgwRV4rbPz7krm4W_dlGGVprzOeyouo4dELL4uhU0tRBTm0j0OC7rh2EQT0QrMVhNtUpa7eGESbzjNU5FuK4A8VJgwvJVPzGnOYFFmtT/s400/wynonna-judd-mug-shot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470869307372981618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Concert Was High on Attitude - Short on Songs</span></span><br /><big><br />Attended the Wynonna concert (free tickets) with an open mind as I really was not a fan and did not know her repertoire. She was spot on in the vocal category, tailoring her song selection to her powerful voice and biting monologues, some of them entirely too long, before each selection. Several references gave light to her flawed view of men, most likely due to her own poor choices in that category.<br />But this woman LOVES her fans and is most grateful to them for putting her where she is, accepting gifts, sending out lots of "I love you"s to adoring followers and encouraging them to respond to her remarks however they wanted. The banter filled lots of time on the concert clock and 70 minutes into the show, after singing Foreigner's "I Want to Know What Love Is", she said "Goodnight" and left the stage as her flock pleaded for more. Of course, this was the fake ending to the show, but is was only 15 minutes later, after another oration or two and two songs, the evening was over. We left the arena at 8:40 (after a 7:15 start time) and were home by 9:15.<br />She will be out on the road again in November, this time with Mama Naomi ..... ladies will love it ..... guys, I'd stay away from this estrogen frenzy or leave your genitalia at home.</big>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-18198537263152879492010-04-14T11:05:00.000-07:002010-04-14T11:11:50.875-07:00Wassup?<div align="center">We're up and running ......</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpT5AfmE8g0Vjlwj33Di9D99PVYCS6hkTTmt0s12EgBUPlzfB_sr1zk7CwGihcUUnm_UUzq1IQE9ITetvHKFQxJf_RmqsgQm_dFfTaJV_uUibCKiI9hNrmvqxbEY17SZALIKcBkGaGWMi/s1600/dayclock_big.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460056693705509202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpT5AfmE8g0Vjlwj33Di9D99PVYCS6hkTTmt0s12EgBUPlzfB_sr1zk7CwGihcUUnm_UUzq1IQE9ITetvHKFQxJf_RmqsgQm_dFfTaJV_uUibCKiI9hNrmvqxbEY17SZALIKcBkGaGWMi/s400/dayclock_big.jpg" /></a> After an absence from blogging for awhile, we're back with</div><div align="center">"Week At A Glance"</div><div align="center">documenting our lives after the arrival of our daughter</div><div align="center">from China.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://joannamei.blogspot.com/">http://joannamei.blogspot.com</a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Email us at <a href="mailto:duoloco@cfl.rr.com">duoloco@cfl.rr.com</a> for a password.</div><div align="center">If you have an adoption blog, please mention it.<br /></div><div align="center"></div>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-46727751445219944042009-12-17T11:10:00.000-08:002009-12-17T11:15:47.165-08:00The Night of Thanksgiving<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuUNIQ3CyuW5taHvF24Di0284HD5Dk6ZRYrGO5f9YHUDNLopFBEb8V0XnWSRfT5U7-y1qvhIc_i94EU9xQoUJQxREvI-zuhFABXpbpIVkPDBZhfo5hGss4267cqQT9gGi8_3DdtkgBxmz/s1600-h/cagle00.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuUNIQ3CyuW5taHvF24Di0284HD5Dk6ZRYrGO5f9YHUDNLopFBEb8V0XnWSRfT5U7-y1qvhIc_i94EU9xQoUJQxREvI-zuhFABXpbpIVkPDBZhfo5hGss4267cqQT9gGi8_3DdtkgBxmz/s400/cagle00.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416285880604716994" border="0" /></a><br />Twas the night of Thanksgiving and out of the house<br />Tiger Woods came a flying chased by his spouse<br />She wielded a nine iron and wasn't too merry<br />Cause a bimbo's phone number was in his Blackberry<br />He'd been cheatin' on Elin and the story progressed<br />Woman after woman stepped up and confessed<br />He'd been cheatin with Holly and Jaimee and Cori<br />With Joselyn and Kalika The world had the story<br />From the top of the Tour to the basement of blues<br />Tiger's sad sordid tale was all over the news<br />With hostesses waitresses he had lots of sex<br />When not in their pants he was sendin them texts<br />Despite all his cryin and beggin and pleadin<br />Tiger's wife went investin-a new home in Sweden<br />And I heard her exclaim from her white Escalade<br />If you're gettin laid then I'm gettin paid<br />She's not pouting, in fact she is of jolly good cheer<br />Her prenup made Christmas come early this yearDon and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-64729902118222859182009-10-31T06:14:00.001-07:002009-10-31T06:14:42.492-07:00Happy Halloween<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToBN9YPmt0xJ8qZMnW-tFcrlyXXyG23Mc2ptMYojuKRX2WX-nATgueM1BIeabtiyAHIuzr-QxPRGCXoBBAKAFs4p-FORWtMIP2ELC9bGUQsRwVHGwA4lkSWYPftqSJlX5JDmSt7Hwpltz/s1600-h/Peace+Pumpkin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToBN9YPmt0xJ8qZMnW-tFcrlyXXyG23Mc2ptMYojuKRX2WX-nATgueM1BIeabtiyAHIuzr-QxPRGCXoBBAKAFs4p-FORWtMIP2ELC9bGUQsRwVHGwA4lkSWYPftqSJlX5JDmSt7Hwpltz/s400/Peace+Pumpkin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398751892104346050" border="0" /></a>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-39026202081718323992009-09-30T07:15:00.000-07:002009-09-30T07:19:52.296-07:00The Skinny on the New Pants<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloWQXtcHyi8Ui9aXYCFFryIgpveO21eCZiKVI-yKqA5eIExT93OBF2XT8SdEAxhRYUVO2YzHjyQMnff2AM8aW-B8lKYGjFzOddwYQHn_fV9MswwlCdX7YGW7e2Gz0mH9Z0umSYDIzAs8f/s1600-h/fat+man"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387264529461022034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloWQXtcHyi8Ui9aXYCFFryIgpveO21eCZiKVI-yKqA5eIExT93OBF2XT8SdEAxhRYUVO2YzHjyQMnff2AM8aW-B8lKYGjFzOddwYQHn_fV9MswwlCdX7YGW7e2Gz0mH9Z0umSYDIzAs8f/s400/fat+man%27s+pants.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I went to return a pair of pants. The gal at the store's Customer Service asked "Is there something wrong with them?" All 250 pounds of me answered back with a poker face: "They make me look fat." She had a bit of trouble, but she contained her laughter, finishing up the transaction with total poise and dignity. Would have loved to hear the break room conversation ....<br /></div>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-62904485933645405642009-09-24T13:08:00.001-07:002009-09-24T13:42:03.263-07:00Attention WalMart Shoppers<div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimuZ1wvWn7MvIqmpX3PjZC55FpMIbIGmBghk3wOIWx6jnWfcAMu_j9_9pw3qrsE0jfEVctLUc8Hk99G0_kdxkz3Z7d6w3XYT2qoBc_dL3GLW7bMarVtQLaNxCBLqyQ5uQnOFsvwk2kBr7/s1600-h/Tree+House+Truck.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385130585521322834" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimuZ1wvWn7MvIqmpX3PjZC55FpMIbIGmBghk3wOIWx6jnWfcAMu_j9_9pw3qrsE0jfEVctLUc8Hk99G0_kdxkz3Z7d6w3XYT2qoBc_dL3GLW7bMarVtQLaNxCBLqyQ5uQnOFsvwk2kBr7/s400/Tree+House+Truck.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Is it still a tree house if it’s not technically in a tree? I think I’ll allow it.<br />Georgia<br /><br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGAss4lv7i8ZHEdufCSDAWCLKvOVsLLgm0syQmQdor7HueEr9mNLRq1EWJ9JdtbkHfOx14q8cx3ZnKD9qUqlBuWeW-Q83Q11PdBke8hG_eN2P8lkfobgHaDWJ5U4TvPGh8Ydjlcdjy2hg/s1600-h/Who+Dressed+You.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385130578532978690" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGAss4lv7i8ZHEdufCSDAWCLKvOVsLLgm0syQmQdor7HueEr9mNLRq1EWJ9JdtbkHfOx14q8cx3ZnKD9qUqlBuWeW-Q83Q11PdBke8hG_eN2P8lkfobgHaDWJ5U4TvPGh8Ydjlcdjy2hg/s400/Who+Dressed+You.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">If you asked a 7 year old to dress himself, he would probably come out looking something like this…probably better actually.<br />Kentucky</div><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXarw8Yn5OrsK-z20SXTepypzOp4QgWwZ5OqdT8J-usKQWkmwGWWHoQa2ek0OBXP-irIUmZ7M7GpIUHOHnKcaaJFsTmm4YG9mXYNPvn5uPrt-4ZnGSHCL2W-hQcJyEOfboV8avG6SljtYM/s1600-h/Under+Belly.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385129918491626994" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXarw8Yn5OrsK-z20SXTepypzOp4QgWwZ5OqdT8J-usKQWkmwGWWHoQa2ek0OBXP-irIUmZ7M7GpIUHOHnKcaaJFsTmm4YG9mXYNPvn5uPrt-4ZnGSHCL2W-hQcJyEOfboV8avG6SljtYM/s400/Under+Belly.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Somebody come here and pick up my jaw, I can’t seem to find it now that my eyes popped out of my head.<br />Pennsylvania</div><br /><br /><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIl3EQFwaqY3lVfK4m-6Ey0QxOVgiWMmbRvW-1v0o7EflYkkRYos4twhVIo8rhr3NZtBwVw3Cn4Jpnl2G0oClDWHB5kOEofkp82khmhrZSHYiERMbt0eQt6CABvWzfESsZf3OqV9UYty1t/s1600-h/Tourists.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385129913303472898" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIl3EQFwaqY3lVfK4m-6Ey0QxOVgiWMmbRvW-1v0o7EflYkkRYos4twhVIo8rhr3NZtBwVw3Cn4Jpnl2G0oClDWHB5kOEofkp82khmhrZSHYiERMbt0eQt6CABvWzfESsZf3OqV9UYty1t/s400/Tourists.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I always assumed the lemon would carry the man-purse, but thanks to this picture we can now put that argument to rest. You know, with the ketchup they kinda have a nice stoplight thing going on there too.<br />New York<br /><br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPAs8wRCuMdre0xHOkl-yFPUOKRULs6Jll31zr0B9xzvxQ1cBEeT6YPiqm8zN-kNB3kQwS6BjFuQCSf60PHpMj2WvIu0zpJPr0Fodl0KDyZepz4Rp0VKGWzp1TC1IKnuvXoVuHmampJEQ/s1600-h/Stone+Cold.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385129905173571570" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPAs8wRCuMdre0xHOkl-yFPUOKRULs6Jll31zr0B9xzvxQ1cBEeT6YPiqm8zN-kNB3kQwS6BjFuQCSf60PHpMj2WvIu0zpJPr0Fodl0KDyZepz4Rp0VKGWzp1TC1IKnuvXoVuHmampJEQ/s400/Stone+Cold.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I don’t think your hamburger is the only thing you need help with.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Canada<br /></div></div><br /><div><div><div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMItxEIPhlslZfWcpHMBo81nwVRf9Gf_4M4kUqEZP2RRH6Wpgp5Uhy-H7xgD4_Dq1i6p_rsEkEEt9nsqAzbNVfN0YkyFuno1tsoq3A3Y-yjFazPh-hzEOqnKSuyBu0x1IupoQcXT0XeNdA/s1600-h/paula+Abdul.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385129576976034626" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMItxEIPhlslZfWcpHMBo81nwVRf9Gf_4M4kUqEZP2RRH6Wpgp5Uhy-H7xgD4_Dq1i6p_rsEkEEt9nsqAzbNVfN0YkyFuno1tsoq3A3Y-yjFazPh-hzEOqnKSuyBu0x1IupoQcXT0XeNdA/s400/paula+Abdul.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We get it. You were in a Paula Abdul video 20 years ago, awesome! Now please change.<br />Nevada</div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXt_yX0ppcr5P1hq9ozVHLOPx5A8QETltxIiYOkh3Yqq4EyIxfPMojPboR828ksc3RoItK9P6IgW75jjtmj6KJabbZydS-K3mx2xza7Ub6fTWZ7YRoIG2qvsygqcs7qgxxWISD8tn2Ky1V/s1600-h/Osh+Kosh.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385129573963327762" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXt_yX0ppcr5P1hq9ozVHLOPx5A8QETltxIiYOkh3Yqq4EyIxfPMojPboR828ksc3RoItK9P6IgW75jjtmj6KJabbZydS-K3mx2xza7Ub6fTWZ7YRoIG2qvsygqcs7qgxxWISD8tn2Ky1V/s400/Osh+Kosh.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />How did this guy find my Osh Kosh B’gosh overalls from when I was 4?<br />Tennessee<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1R1RBmDeK75p96366_tPZddqKzYUy-MGXHPbMMdvCwOXiLbLjuoizfPtXI7U46k41KcIrm_8p8u_QrAHce-zoBg7AuyEFmHpO8IwQjSRx0NvHfW-bT2UJHHH96FLMyOOtxlKPJvypfVi/s1600-h/Not+hot.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385129563530397442" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1R1RBmDeK75p96366_tPZddqKzYUy-MGXHPbMMdvCwOXiLbLjuoizfPtXI7U46k41KcIrm_8p8u_QrAHce-zoBg7AuyEFmHpO8IwQjSRx0NvHfW-bT2UJHHH96FLMyOOtxlKPJvypfVi/s400/Not+hot.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I have this picture up so that you can stare at it for 5 minutes to decide if she is hot, then try to convince yourself that you don’t actually think she’s hot when you know she really is.<br />Oklahoma<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3g-o-OlD553vK1sdPYYHQ9hDgDOW_8FPdlJE_nixwyXrAOfSX1UI3hg0GxweWVYQWcuhMVtZokZuseA8z3UVqK0IvuY3jLZC_NUCwb6auiBp9JOyafBhRAhyQIIbioRNLGQY6WKZBf5E/s1600-h/Makeup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385129560012111106" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3g-o-OlD553vK1sdPYYHQ9hDgDOW_8FPdlJE_nixwyXrAOfSX1UI3hg0GxweWVYQWcuhMVtZokZuseA8z3UVqK0IvuY3jLZC_NUCwb6auiBp9JOyafBhRAhyQIIbioRNLGQY6WKZBf5E/s400/Makeup.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Save the money, I highly doubt that its going to help you anyway.<br />Florida<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVecqpxmDmn8kGgS-pRxf0VJRSnIeHszFtMwND-v552Evks3n_bKwDg4YbBYd7ItZOtcF4OPhbiNBBlnDao04AkLbEaxI7xYGhfyb1f0dFWpuaoM-it6_C0G9-LquqZYBJQip0jQNZUFm/s1600-h/Goat+on+Pickup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385129151395645266" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVecqpxmDmn8kGgS-pRxf0VJRSnIeHszFtMwND-v552Evks3n_bKwDg4YbBYd7ItZOtcF4OPhbiNBBlnDao04AkLbEaxI7xYGhfyb1f0dFWpuaoM-it6_C0G9-LquqZYBJQip0jQNZUFm/s400/Goat+on+Pickup.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Hey maybe you guys could help me down, it’s a 3 foot drop and my legs aren’t what they used to be.<br />Nevada<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiztmMoPJVUpP34LYqi5BALorKCYPqauFvJ4KO7jLsq1rdGyeHI8MOHLVIMmZuDp9SyDc1EJPdrknwt4GDhviTOW55bLaXglyfDgJgbEEgDgPaIwDOwL_cNjTFggrEEsWUupni2vs3QG03d/s1600-h/Flip+Flops.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385129146156364018" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiztmMoPJVUpP34LYqi5BALorKCYPqauFvJ4KO7jLsq1rdGyeHI8MOHLVIMmZuDp9SyDc1EJPdrknwt4GDhviTOW55bLaXglyfDgJgbEEgDgPaIwDOwL_cNjTFggrEEsWUupni2vs3QG03d/s400/Flip+Flops.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I challenge you to find pants to match fuzzy pink flip flops and green nail polish, then have someone take your picture and send it to us.<br />California<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZw8UJvv_tt-QD4AG07CxeH1Evpk3b9Unsqdw6qrJjrOt3ar-QUqmca2wbTO0Q-QCUAaAsjW4d6IpMiLKy7tvfXcUjkNow7KpHslwnc6oUyssUjMaoMvq0fVHqkgcD2FwWjKR1C4zPb8Rg/s1600-h/Dr+Teeth.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385129139286567122" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZw8UJvv_tt-QD4AG07CxeH1Evpk3b9Unsqdw6qrJjrOt3ar-QUqmca2wbTO0Q-QCUAaAsjW4d6IpMiLKy7tvfXcUjkNow7KpHslwnc6oUyssUjMaoMvq0fVHqkgcD2FwWjKR1C4zPb8Rg/s400/Dr+Teeth.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Now all we need is Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem for a reunion tour.<br />Texas<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_y33c1vwHSKeqhYP0_pe6LUzmbV8eOz2duK8bZwnUdjjaco4y4o9oAsgBjbYpG_QizEm6L1ZkboKsYcl-V6LSMN9xsetQYFPhY_5ufcZqfLVYhS_TbmJIGR6UL0d0STs9mS9A_Wzn5nd/s1600-h/Dino+Van.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385128844969160402" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_y33c1vwHSKeqhYP0_pe6LUzmbV8eOz2duK8bZwnUdjjaco4y4o9oAsgBjbYpG_QizEm6L1ZkboKsYcl-V6LSMN9xsetQYFPhY_5ufcZqfLVYhS_TbmJIGR6UL0d0STs9mS9A_Wzn5nd/s400/Dino+Van.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I’m not quite sure if Godzilla belongs on the dinosaur van, but since this guy included him, I’m glad he is at the very top where he belongs…..Godzilla would beat down every other dinosaur. That’s a fact. Look it up.<br />West Virginia<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsT9ptYwBeLNrsH1JcXW5HUeN1Y42JO8q-qCsyZ-myKixOi-jnFF1WzKIQ2e0hKi8iOmKHJNVnIADq1wb2rpqjpFjzZUY9eyJyjn5nXc5Jv0LfK3-MPFYA9RnO7-xXq7SFwHlpGAlIeiTR/s1600-h/Bubba.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385128838692906562" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsT9ptYwBeLNrsH1JcXW5HUeN1Y42JO8q-qCsyZ-myKixOi-jnFF1WzKIQ2e0hKi8iOmKHJNVnIADq1wb2rpqjpFjzZUY9eyJyjn5nXc5Jv0LfK3-MPFYA9RnO7-xXq7SFwHlpGAlIeiTR/s400/Bubba.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />You know that “Bubba” guy that I mentioned…<br />Unknown<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61-dxUeAONXmpwqkR8Z93I8Cd-bt2JXedNHFJs6yfRfGo1pUtr3R-qWiQ69OpcE65BHZZvGfhNvEEiXEFKQInYHXMItTTOK2CANR9q_pmjMgJqn-jJOR2-zZLxRoho2Dg94WTjVDruhZ6/s1600-h/Britney+Spears.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385128835340062994" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61-dxUeAONXmpwqkR8Z93I8Cd-bt2JXedNHFJs6yfRfGo1pUtr3R-qWiQ69OpcE65BHZZvGfhNvEEiXEFKQInYHXMItTTOK2CANR9q_pmjMgJqn-jJOR2-zZLxRoho2Dg94WTjVDruhZ6/s400/Britney+Spears.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Britney Spears let herself go…….again.<br />Kentucky<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXuYxRPnLwnlNLwyjOv4REajlThItQ-uW9xY9oJPaY8EWNzLwHOv6yksOfeOLOg9qh4QIhqqS7gVJCcsE848bPBhmV-k9l6CGyjTftvzCVFC2PgXSWr_2OU5601ye8eQmxygIs8CDCFqQ/s1600-h/Blue+Lady.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385128830700913794" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXuYxRPnLwnlNLwyjOv4REajlThItQ-uW9xY9oJPaY8EWNzLwHOv6yksOfeOLOg9qh4QIhqqS7gVJCcsE848bPBhmV-k9l6CGyjTftvzCVFC2PgXSWr_2OU5601ye8eQmxygIs8CDCFqQ/s400/Blue+Lady.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Are those ankle weights, half-socks or sweatbands? Does she think that if things are kind of the same color they can go together? Are see-through shorts only appropriate with shiny blue hats? I wish I knew how these things worked.<br />Florida<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2GNnx7KfPJX2XQ3HS7C6yukN6rRSbCTSUnr4hGxPecQBSOpmfNTO1TXonxWz1vf1j3ubVJ3243XiAcT0UACA9EAhDmFaqgwhqppvIfFCbT8zD4QXSBfPJlu9gsV3uYAvRkq5_U4SavGys/s1600-h/Crack.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 250px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385128819717254802" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2GNnx7KfPJX2XQ3HS7C6yukN6rRSbCTSUnr4hGxPecQBSOpmfNTO1TXonxWz1vf1j3ubVJ3243XiAcT0UACA9EAhDmFaqgwhqppvIfFCbT8zD4QXSBfPJlu9gsV3uYAvRkq5_U4SavGys/s400/Crack.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Is it even legal to look this good?<br />California<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-14193146898260416552009-09-11T03:51:00.000-07:002009-09-11T03:52:03.662-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2YR5n1K9KP-sXnF_1L98qLi2u_pnYru8t8M9jFllgkxW_l7jM85JZfGHxF_c-6CGMie6hv_MumV8YXqyrBb2_GDEgB7hC2KwakbBDOP94IVM6-7EryW8QiyVCPZALLjx2QWCf1HcI8YJ/s1600-h/WTC.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 316px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2YR5n1K9KP-sXnF_1L98qLi2u_pnYru8t8M9jFllgkxW_l7jM85JZfGHxF_c-6CGMie6hv_MumV8YXqyrBb2_GDEgB7hC2KwakbBDOP94IVM6-7EryW8QiyVCPZALLjx2QWCf1HcI8YJ/s400/WTC.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380160822277628578" border="0" /></a>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-91048154466511445092009-09-01T08:49:00.001-07:002009-09-01T08:49:47.098-07:00Justin Roberts "Stay-at-Home Dad"<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/j8k-XRKT0Pc' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/j8k-XRKT0Pc'/></object></p></div>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-9334206796340021182009-08-26T11:49:00.000-07:002009-08-26T12:24:33.591-07:00Potty Humor<div>My daughter, The Empress, is graduating from diapers to underpants. Probably no reason to celebrate (save the cost of diapers and, now, pre-school potty trained discount) except that this is another milestone in her growth, one that carries with it it's own consequences.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>A few examples: </div><br /><div>- "An Inconvenient Poop" - the need to go potty will usually occur while at the furthest point from a rest room in the department store.</div><br /><div>- The "Would You Like Paper or Plastic" Poop - usually occurs just as the cashier begins checking out your weekly food order.</div><br /><div>- The "False Alarm" usually occurs while driving and one must stop at the nearest reasonably clean rest room before child deposits hiney fruit in her child seat. Upon arriving at the rest room, child announces "No pee-pee - no poo-poo".</div><br /><div>- The "Magic Seat Cover" Poop - parent places paper toilet seat cover on toilet seat, turns to lift child onto seat, and the automatic flush activates, flushing paper seat cover.</div><br /><div>- The "Sanctified Poop" - occurs just as the preacher says "Let us pray."</div><br /><div>- The "Would You Like Some Company?" Poop - probably a "False Alarm" poop, but child wants to keep parent nearby whilst parent ....... never mind.</div><br /><div>- The "Tailgate Poop" - answer to several of the above scenarios ....... parent buys a potty at IKEA for 4 bucks and has it handy in his tool box in the bed of his Ford F-150 truck. Parent must supply own wipes, plastic bag and gallon bottle of rinse water. </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 401px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 407px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374355061066347058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLns0yqdCiveG-VMvZng6mjO5o0yOSqLbAmVAh-bKizmhk9DvMtVCpVNr2L3NPlx3fYrxc31T-gRFNTVyk12R4GUoC334lM3_ovrAZnbyr4_3gdp3M_fs4cGS06PBuRM8TK2PaxoRkwi_/s400/potty.jpg" /><br /><div>- </div>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-10056686237830177882009-08-03T18:14:00.000-07:002009-08-03T19:01:59.982-07:00O.K. - If You Don't Shoot Me, I'll Eat the Okra.…… so, you’re out on a day hike in the woods. Mind you, you’re not in the jungle far from civilization. You spot some vegetable like growth on a vine or tree. What are the chances you’ll have the desire to sample something that looks like this …..<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRIr8RacHUlE8Z7fXhpSFxexwp2kMOxhZ728offGnpbpIm5V7iwk70LaFdVj83UKeRKjsNluK_z7H0XguzIhWK7ia_AncpAfcgB3naLFoUTROY0zkEtGP48RsOkA20Xhijg6y2qyZnR-s/s1600-h/weird+fruit+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRIr8RacHUlE8Z7fXhpSFxexwp2kMOxhZ728offGnpbpIm5V7iwk70LaFdVj83UKeRKjsNluK_z7H0XguzIhWK7ia_AncpAfcgB3naLFoUTROY0zkEtGP48RsOkA20Xhijg6y2qyZnR-s/s400/weird+fruit+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365911272771847826" /></a><br /><br />Or this ....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLh6CuL2aVu-k-FWsPQjccXFBgfHZyZvn2GPgQZH3GYm5JCa8KKdZapV_XfzFSINBhvvi7LVVSoI5CyzGjSYhlQ_N6qJ-OBe1MgLfhPRNrugXFrR4F6SxU_5T6FAdd5FnOlPMW9dMm6Jp/s1600-h/Strange+Veggies+Alien+Celery.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLh6CuL2aVu-k-FWsPQjccXFBgfHZyZvn2GPgQZH3GYm5JCa8KKdZapV_XfzFSINBhvvi7LVVSoI5CyzGjSYhlQ_N6qJ-OBe1MgLfhPRNrugXFrR4F6SxU_5T6FAdd5FnOlPMW9dMm6Jp/s400/Strange+Veggies+Alien+Celery.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365911127911522930" /></a><br /><br />Or this ....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi06yvBEnW55MNuTf-lveiWEEz7FGAYobER9k1CXkmAhUEVcHG8AKQmd8_wv-2tac6ACmo3aJhXir9JkP5auD9C7DUctZWoaa-bzyZMTKjxJgWufHOElk4vOdfm7BcrJZxAT-KrzsVLsCa/s1600-h/Strange+Veggies+Okra.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 261px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi06yvBEnW55MNuTf-lveiWEEz7FGAYobER9k1CXkmAhUEVcHG8AKQmd8_wv-2tac6ACmo3aJhXir9JkP5auD9C7DUctZWoaa-bzyZMTKjxJgWufHOElk4vOdfm7BcrJZxAT-KrzsVLsCa/s400/Strange+Veggies+Okra.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365910955481782290" /></a><br /><br />Me? No way. I’d be out of my mind! Yet, I’ve actually eaten the delicacy pictured in the last sample. And you know what? It’s okra! I’ve actually eaten okra! Voluntarily! Because I love my wife! She likes okra and I love her so I eat it! Even though I find it totally loathsome! I must be nuts!<br /><br />Some interesting okra tidbits:<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />When cut, okra releases a sticky substance with thickening properties.<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> The same thing happens when you lance a boil.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Grown in tropical and warm temperate climates, it is in the same plant family as hibiscus and cotton.<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> Yes, I do believe I’ve had cotton mouth after eating okra.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Its mild flavor can be compared to eggplant, though the texture is somewhat unusual.<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> Now, there’s an understatement!<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Whole, fresh okra pods also make excellent pickles.<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> Don’t come anywhere near me with that! <br /><br />So, if I happen to be traipsing through the jungle, famished and hallucinatory and I come across some okra, yes, I will eat it. Even raw. But when there’s a choice, it goes right on the list along with calves’ liver, rutabaga, beets and eel. Meanwhile, baby, I’ll cook your okra for you – on the grill outside – right next to my corn on the cob. Love ya.Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-82930803652458614892009-07-23T11:09:00.000-07:002009-07-23T11:11:20.007-07:00Sarcasm, Please<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcu257QcsUuDVaAGcpAvLbSsWJLBLx_O-gc2MM0Go4pAcJV7D5ttShMSNFY8s5IasZHtOANox7FbCZJiRVCfT7RQ7VXikz3fEqFlGsL_FIwt2g6psB7vYy1u4esL-cbT5FrcSUoqUmlogM/s1600-h/Sarcastic+Comment.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361719566537650354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcu257QcsUuDVaAGcpAvLbSsWJLBLx_O-gc2MM0Go4pAcJV7D5ttShMSNFY8s5IasZHtOANox7FbCZJiRVCfT7RQ7VXikz3fEqFlGsL_FIwt2g6psB7vYy1u4esL-cbT5FrcSUoqUmlogM/s400/Sarcastic+Comment.jpg" border="0" /></a> Please leave me a sarcastic comment on the subject of</div><div align="center">not updating my blog.<br /></div>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-72953956231359850172009-06-20T07:58:00.001-07:002009-06-20T07:58:55.399-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW2MVMGi06M5tfygf0Vxd0biWBiWUhw8aMRvIzcIT8aBtvb9R3fTL2KnWOy2iwK16OoGtC7HrMoA_NsZ2WRiOHsgRdjL9q3PsTOOgyrIcSlZVCuXecaqJNMbnBSbxxYguwhG9omp-GC26j/s1600-h/happyfathersday.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW2MVMGi06M5tfygf0Vxd0biWBiWUhw8aMRvIzcIT8aBtvb9R3fTL2KnWOy2iwK16OoGtC7HrMoA_NsZ2WRiOHsgRdjL9q3PsTOOgyrIcSlZVCuXecaqJNMbnBSbxxYguwhG9omp-GC26j/s400/happyfathersday.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349424404590855730" border="0" /></a>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-17595406394778473532009-06-16T07:59:00.000-07:002009-06-16T07:59:00.764-07:00Jersey Boys<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmjQT8jZwYudR6gyxsNaDAcw5byggOGNM5kEumu1jiskLnFe-q0cnrxDda8DJSeFDonQnClQ_ONldVXJDDTg-UdOKDBQEQaHVTQxt6HddHCs3Y8rKkwIlFdFfXKD3yaQkIY4zfuC1RLa6/s1600-h/JerseyBoysSW.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmjQT8jZwYudR6gyxsNaDAcw5byggOGNM5kEumu1jiskLnFe-q0cnrxDda8DJSeFDonQnClQ_ONldVXJDDTg-UdOKDBQEQaHVTQxt6HddHCs3Y8rKkwIlFdFfXKD3yaQkIY4zfuC1RLa6/s320/JerseyBoysSW.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347733639949586210" border="0" /></a><br />Being a Jersey Boy myself, I could not pass it up when the show, a musical biography of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons came through town. These guys were from my neck of the woods, and character portrayals were hauntingly familiar including the authentic New Jersey street vocabulary. "F" bombs were dropped as if the players were reciting fine poetry and accents were reminiscent of those heard up and down the streets and alleys of the North End of Elizabeth, New Jersey, where I grew up during the hayday of the Four Seasons.<br />The script was typical of the rise and fall of a performer. The show had elements of "The Doors", "Walk the Line", "Dream Girls" and "Coal Miner's Daughter". But the thing that had the audience on it's feet was the music, performed by a talented group of singers and instrumentalists. We knew the words to every song, skillfully woven into the story line to create quite an enjoyable evening of music. Recommended for adults (unless you'd like to be embarrassed in front of your kids - wait - maybe you talk like those guys in front of your kids - I don't know - you decide.)Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-15219249298094445342009-06-15T18:31:00.001-07:002009-06-16T04:47:17.392-07:001 Year Anniversary Raffle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFa3EHRzBeXJtj0z7-hsDNgODbB8gJnf9sixhnYq3Qv3fQQYBTAT0zS4_AcIiP8efLPJFY-qoQI0S8S_xJVtS-lDeYv6-_S4cPcfFxtP6U9RElsR8Q6321j5kUvS6G5a52ppco5rJlnWe/s1600-h/chinese+lullabies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFa3EHRzBeXJtj0z7-hsDNgODbB8gJnf9sixhnYq3Qv3fQQYBTAT0zS4_AcIiP8efLPJFY-qoQI0S8S_xJVtS-lDeYv6-_S4cPcfFxtP6U9RElsR8Q6321j5kUvS6G5a52ppco5rJlnWe/s320/chinese+lullabies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347732140612095858" border="0" /></a><br />In celebration of 1 year as a family of 3, we would like to do a raffle for a CD of Chinese lullabies sung by the Beijing Angelic Choir. This music has soothed Joanna Mei to sleep each night and we'd like to pass on this beautiful music to a lucky winner. Just leave a comment on this post indicating that you'd like to win. Joanna Mei will draw a winner on July 14, our Forever Family Day.Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-88754754933809256532009-05-23T22:08:00.000-07:002009-05-23T23:55:35.058-07:00<div align="center">Don't mean to judge ...... nope, sure don't.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGmsPfr49OQ52jOxTgEYDdHphFfyNynIMjQ6nSnviMIG471Q3sgIljBFmGt_Kz60UGSPbAomKzYAxhC6v6TE1_qeMDI2G2lqhGIF8FGXoPIIspZPBbKslkO1QFFdPRdBmSIUjE_rnmxux/s1600-h/adam_eddie.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339277406405962178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 359px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGmsPfr49OQ52jOxTgEYDdHphFfyNynIMjQ6nSnviMIG471Q3sgIljBFmGt_Kz60UGSPbAomKzYAxhC6v6TE1_qeMDI2G2lqhGIF8FGXoPIIspZPBbKslkO1QFFdPRdBmSIUjE_rnmxux/s400/adam_eddie.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpV9e34VMQwjuXQMa3gh_2sHnHdK0jobCim2B0XWiEV2ssILhXVfRPNfVUHryQZh2OK3vxU0mVUi6d1l6CTDcXfti_N6NgXcwpa-pbjEHfMSLjaNbYoQBwW1EHmb8bvPXmCfUnyMaE4H2i/s1600-h/Adam-Lambert-Gay-Kissing-Photos-3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339277407312595826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpV9e34VMQwjuXQMa3gh_2sHnHdK0jobCim2B0XWiEV2ssILhXVfRPNfVUHryQZh2OK3vxU0mVUi6d1l6CTDcXfti_N6NgXcwpa-pbjEHfMSLjaNbYoQBwW1EHmb8bvPXmCfUnyMaE4H2i/s400/Adam-Lambert-Gay-Kissing-Photos-3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictWRB_N0N188D6YDBnNwqlVhjtRZRLPot4-wExeVoF9e_9lrXHcWagOhwhci5moXZfG_wIUpltXtsBbdU7WfisiDU-9jlNeBj9SqxdHokwPBOh6KztBsF1S834swSVTpEdb21eS_r5aTM/s1600-h/adam-lambert-cheeks-5169.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339277106040486114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictWRB_N0N188D6YDBnNwqlVhjtRZRLPot4-wExeVoF9e_9lrXHcWagOhwhci5moXZfG_wIUpltXtsBbdU7WfisiDU-9jlNeBj9SqxdHokwPBOh6KztBsF1S834swSVTpEdb21eS_r5aTM/s400/adam-lambert-cheeks-5169.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZUN2rfShxPrqSDKq19Z4xDKJt6iGbSuzyTq0kYC8jO2VP_l2V6KsiREQG_14k_UWBW194DkLx5yWEzNnQP-DjqQydPr6pl542QIw8xHEOV0X3RLplPdFpRiAXSd7AgsIsvRHbYk7yQqu/s1600-h/AdamLambert.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339277105562720050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 253px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZUN2rfShxPrqSDKq19Z4xDKJt6iGbSuzyTq0kYC8jO2VP_l2V6KsiREQG_14k_UWBW194DkLx5yWEzNnQP-DjqQydPr6pl542QIw8xHEOV0X3RLplPdFpRiAXSd7AgsIsvRHbYk7yQqu/s400/AdamLambert.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPTQ6zzENXo6iHtrDZsH7Aofxd34JZ69HEsLLzddhZjsnvVJszTboa3vT2c87rU2jkFhOiE3B_8-bXdVsIeeUU-Q6MAXyxt-bN9709P_XmwRmjn581ut8UdPz5ePvY6uHA5v9XKWUxOtE/s1600-h/adam3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339277103922714498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 301px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPTQ6zzENXo6iHtrDZsH7Aofxd34JZ69HEsLLzddhZjsnvVJszTboa3vT2c87rU2jkFhOiE3B_8-bXdVsIeeUU-Q6MAXyxt-bN9709P_XmwRmjn581ut8UdPz5ePvY6uHA5v9XKWUxOtE/s400/adam3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbVawL9XuFeGMgI-EkwZ9uD-dli_sPQ_dbTiAiSmIODpiapOVQtxBZIN5PGDjLPgPb3fxpzl7j-r3D1b3iT_EB_MSBYR5yMdJoPfjy-4q3v_mAX95JA8cpMbpQREMgw28UlNs4gnhaVwo/s1600-h/adam1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339277104324805394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 253px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbVawL9XuFeGMgI-EkwZ9uD-dli_sPQ_dbTiAiSmIODpiapOVQtxBZIN5PGDjLPgPb3fxpzl7j-r3D1b3iT_EB_MSBYR5yMdJoPfjy-4q3v_mAX95JA8cpMbpQREMgw28UlNs4gnhaVwo/s400/adam1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDXPprdljZPQv0H7M3tvDkCxtD4C51nI3Cy5_23ckRgH2rjHoedwJebOZpUBMirTq8JRmFzOjWkg3n52Z8AO8AzlzcRXUGXQXsMxTMqinWsKSQ9jpfJKxTk6mVjxoc0a_Z_-V2GHq_ER0/s1600-h/adam.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339277100672912642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 252px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 252px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDXPprdljZPQv0H7M3tvDkCxtD4C51nI3Cy5_23ckRgH2rjHoedwJebOZpUBMirTq8JRmFzOjWkg3n52Z8AO8AzlzcRXUGXQXsMxTMqinWsKSQ9jpfJKxTk6mVjxoc0a_Z_-V2GHq_ER0/s400/adam.jpg" border="0" /></a>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-30204720254143559942009-05-04T11:28:00.000-07:002009-05-04T12:22:17.492-07:00... and the DUH Award goes to .....<div align="center">It had been a particularly noteworthy Sunday. </div><div align="center">Church in the AM followed by a short nap and then a 1 hour drive to</div><div align="center">meet some friends from <em><strong>way</strong></em> back for a snack in Lakeland, FL.</div><div align="center">The drive over was uneventful and considering traffic in Central Florida,</div><div align="center"><em><strong>that</strong></em> made it eventful. </div><div align="center">Our meeting went as planned and we continued onto the Lakeland Civic Center for a performance of Cirque du Soleil's "Saltimbanco".</div><div align="center">Oops ... I failed to mention that we boldly brought along our 2 year old.</div><div align="center">You would not have known it. She was on her best behavior and presented herself as a most charming individual. </div><div align="center">It was daring of us to bring her along to the 2 hour show, but she was transfixed on the display of athletic prowess and the illusions before her. She danced, cheered, and glued her eyes to the performance area.</div><div align="center">But, what followed was most unimpressive ......</div><div align="center">For this reason ......</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxL0CMy2JNnIAvxN6QerQYuyuit8Jqgi0xMwna56yHbr0ugd1ZXRVCYrBqQGehKsdjLcGB_fSxsIjWy6j6byv__uGMDtb_lufP_Y6y2Uzm55F66JTH0lGnMwA4K7GY6XUnWvNP7SR97X0M/s1600-h/DuhAward.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332038663504522034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 170px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxL0CMy2JNnIAvxN6QerQYuyuit8Jqgi0xMwna56yHbr0ugd1ZXRVCYrBqQGehKsdjLcGB_fSxsIjWy6j6byv__uGMDtb_lufP_Y6y2Uzm55F66JTH0lGnMwA4K7GY6XUnWvNP7SR97X0M/s400/DuhAward.jpg" border="0" /></a> goes to ......</div><div align="center">The Staff and Management of Lakeland's</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRvm1Zm6HrEPIeAyr6htIvbnwwYtyONma_MYZUnRbBnWPVQtJc6H5E5j4tVnj8X6kjrgNVpbvmdGfSQd69N6CvEXl1cnydyzHgJxeFK5g2YbjjsR8IRATPqI-M59ReOooPONejxU2-Rac/s1600-h/SteaknShakeLogo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332038408353689666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 306px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 206px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRvm1Zm6HrEPIeAyr6htIvbnwwYtyONma_MYZUnRbBnWPVQtJc6H5E5j4tVnj8X6kjrgNVpbvmdGfSQd69N6CvEXl1cnydyzHgJxeFK5g2YbjjsR8IRATPqI-M59ReOooPONejxU2-Rac/s400/SteaknShakeLogo.jpg" border="0" /></a> I love this eatery's milk shakes and the sign loomed before us so we stopped for dinner at approximately 7:30 PM.</div><div align="center">We placed our orders ..... (22 minutes after being seated)</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">1 Grilled Chicken Salad</div><div align="center">1 Single Steakburger with Cheese and Bacon</div><div align="center">1 Vanilla Milk Shake</div><div align="center">1 Order of Chicken Fingers </div><div align="center">(The chicken fingers were free - special on Sat & Sun:</div><div align="center">Free kid's meal with each $8.00 spent)</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Our daughter had pooped and so I attended to the primitive ritual of the diaper change. I figured I'd take my time, so we sang and wiped and washed and sang some more. She loved the sounds of her screams ricocheting off the tiled walls. When we arrived back at our table, still no food, although the shake had arrived. 43 minutes after being seated, along comes a different waitress with our order. The Steakburger and chicken fingers were there on the tray, but there appeared to be a chicken club substituted for the chicken salad. We told the waitress and she brought back the whole tray. Leaving us in her dust, we tried to tell her to leave us the bloody burger and chicken fingers (we were so hungry we were ready to eat the people in the next booth) but she flicked us off and went back to the pick up window. 3 minutes later, she returns with the chicken salad and the other 2 items and informs us that she had brought the wrong tray. I wanted to say "You friggin' liar!" but I managed to maintain poise and dignity. Our regular waitress stopped by to see how it was going and I told her what happened and could she bring me a new bun for my burger as there was mustard on the one I was served which I didn't order. She reached down to grab the plate containing the burger. "Just a new bun!" I said in a style reminiscent of Jack Nickolson in "The Shining".</div><div align="center">The rest of the meal went without a hitch. </div><div align="center">I asked for my check. Our waitress indicated that it would just be a minute.</div><div align="center">I told her that I would stand in the aisle until she returned.</div><div align="center">It came in 30 seconds.</div><div align="center">The Chicken Club Sandwich (never ordered in the first place) </div><div align="center">was still on the bill ........</div><div align="center">The Child's Meal (should be free) was also charged .....</div><div align="center">Our waitress offered to take care of it.</div><div align="center">"No, that won't be necessary. I'll do it myself when I pay for the check."</div><div align="center">The manager was at the register. We were wanting to get back on the road back to Orlando, so I mentioned the disputed items and he deducted them without question. ....... But here's the best part, folks .......</div><div align="center">I paid with a credit card and he asked for I.D.</div><div align="center">This is what I presented to him .......</div><div align="center"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332038187811120450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 254px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSVjM5A23zCF5jKE-IBD0e_DHa6q1NGI0YX3AQwrak98zmfBFdnCnCj6YmLGvGdGpeaDBlhHN4D5WzAehmuEN_MTTJzBmecLs4RKNOIplBZwmUf9UkhQqul4KXNz9npog-1IOQ3X56CEO/s400/Brad+Pitt+DL.jpg" border="0" /> <div align="center"><em>Actual scan of a gag driver's license I keep in my wallet</em></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center">He compared the credit card to the gag driver's license and said</div><div align="center">"Thank you, sir."</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">And so, Steak and Shake, Lakeland, Florida .......</div><div align="center">here's your DUH Award for the most screw ups in one meal</div><div align="center">during a 90 minute period. That's right, we were back on the road at 9 PM.</div><div align="center">We actually drove to Orlando in less time than</div><div align="center">Steak & Shake could put 3 lousy items on our table (not including 10 minutes to consume the marginal fare presented to us.)</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Much success to you in your overall incompetence.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-4176119448357518332009-04-25T06:12:00.000-07:002009-04-25T06:24:20.299-07:00The Manhattan Transfer - Concert Reflections<div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN9k77j1AOlHkufMHoRq1dYQ2RFA2YoXsH_4gV4JbSyqVAWGYimuiCCip6JE589Nz_sZyIEGCsaErLo8p7pfqVmBU4gBYD6SskLIZ929MuSoxJVql9FmJbSRdKxX54c_lu-IKEaDFpm4l/s1600-h/mt2.jpg"></a>I don’t let the opportunity to hear The Manhattan Transfer slip by me if the group is singing within 60 miles of my home. We were jazzed to score some great seats for their recent performance at the King Center for the Performing Arts in Melbourne, Fl – it might as well have been the first time we heard this incredible quartet exhibit their vocal gymnastics – we sat stunned by their performance, even though we had seen them 6 or so times over the years. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfd0UP7eNa2MWurljDOYcEHFM3t2Kz_3xuQbOL7Hztla84m8eAiCkVypOCI5Tb6V7vHZMxA3_kdpSxSDidP-_MaD7FwS1Lv_bYBa47UWwMuOf7ZtAhQz1h-v_nq4oAYfi00Lq2NJrzmHzE/s1600-h/mt2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328618761996735378" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfd0UP7eNa2MWurljDOYcEHFM3t2Kz_3xuQbOL7Hztla84m8eAiCkVypOCI5Tb6V7vHZMxA3_kdpSxSDidP-_MaD7FwS1Lv_bYBa47UWwMuOf7ZtAhQz1h-v_nq4oAYfi00Lq2NJrzmHzE/s320/mt2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />MT has had the same 4 singers in the lineup for over 30 years, so the accuracy with which they sing is extraordinary. As an ensemble, the sound is exquisite, providing a spot on vocal blend. Individually, the 2 women far outshine the men in performance and talent. Janis Siegel is a wild woman. Even at 57, she still exhibits a more sophisticated version of the same spunky gal from 25 years ago. Over the years, her voice has become one of the group’s most recognizable trademarks. Cheryl Bentyne has a vocal range which defies science. Her sultry low notes are Karen Carpenter-esque and her high notes provide keen competition for dog whistles. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbSNeKmW2GQBRg3_tVEx7AX6cAMHe4HY5zgDkezqKZ_O0h8SBYfOzBbk2DDwwCix1TXRh-MnMHtrGQMmlz24z3I__WEh6JcYeVn0uYZ2nTKZJXGH7d6Imrl2G1f-cWKzHAzss9d5Tsh44/s1600-h/mt.jpg"></a>Tim Hauser (founder) and Alan Paul each contribute their individual flavor to the ensemble, giving it fullness and body.<br />Some of our favorite MT songs include “Route 66”, “Soul Food to Go”, “Ray’s Rock House”, “Operator”, and “The Offbeat of Avenues”. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJJUeiQptiyNrHJOMrjOx0OTEEp_2b_kbxy-mimox0GikklktzLAD7rZkQBEPXOjz2CKZqyB3WSwqKvMUE332-4Ev0ehiWlepkdDB8AbYn-ztDyft_jkQRBZBkNbidodICzIKMkdHTPLd/s1600-h/mt.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328619028600195506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 211px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJJUeiQptiyNrHJOMrjOx0OTEEp_2b_kbxy-mimox0GikklktzLAD7rZkQBEPXOjz2CKZqyB3WSwqKvMUE332-4Ev0ehiWlepkdDB8AbYn-ztDyft_jkQRBZBkNbidodICzIKMkdHTPLd/s320/mt.jpg" border="0" /></a>At times during the show, songs called for everyone to get up and dance, but when we looked at the audience behind us, there wasn’t much of a chance of that happening. We very well may have been the youngest kids in the crowd, so we settled for jukein’ in our seats.<br />Some of their pieces defy traditional harmonic writing causing me to wonder “How the heck do they do that?” Not necessarily something you want to hear a lot of, but enough to solidify one’s appreciation for their excellence at their craft. Their stylings include pop, jazz, rock, Brazilian, a capella, gospel, vocalese, big band and the list goes on. Recently, they recorded some of their old favorites with symphony orchestra, giving the selections a lush character for easy listening.<br />We’ll be there for the next pass of The Manhattan Transfer through Florida. After 30 years, these remarkable performers have a myriad of songs from which to compose a set list. </div></div>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-67652887840405569322009-04-02T04:30:00.001-07:002009-04-02T04:33:53.938-07:00Slackin' Again<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgJzbiNJwnACCHBiieVIpGMBJDZCSc02fZ4u3b7Ot2N3EHhm8-6NZIpU_HF4sr5b7IH2k31RUU1NbF2m5h3_-q8biOTZQGLge_GCWy10GdusDGW4qFS2ZP3vE6vOrEwO2iET3-r5HYjhv/s1600-h/TheBlog.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320055398649010850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 155px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgJzbiNJwnACCHBiieVIpGMBJDZCSc02fZ4u3b7Ot2N3EHhm8-6NZIpU_HF4sr5b7IH2k31RUU1NbF2m5h3_-q8biOTZQGLge_GCWy10GdusDGW4qFS2ZP3vE6vOrEwO2iET3-r5HYjhv/s400/TheBlog.JPG" border="0" /></a> Thanks for stoppin' by.</div><div align="center">I promise to do an update by next week.</div><div align="center">A 2 year old in the house can sure keep you jumpin'.</div><div align="center"><br /> </div><div align="center"></div>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-27452231902390222942009-03-16T11:23:00.000-07:002009-03-17T16:40:59.884-07:00Getaway<div><em><span style="color:#ffcc99;">I've not done an update on this blog in a long time ..... only excuse: life in general. This posting was to go on our regular blog about life with our daughter, but it merits being posted here do to it's content. Enjoy .....</span></em><br /><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#ffcc99;"></span></em><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#ffcc99;"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">The time came when HomeDaddy required a day off from his appointed duties serving The Empress. MamaBe also desired some ‘alone’ time in the presence of royalty. It was decided that HD would go to the beach while MB remained behind in their humble abode just out the back door of Disney.<br /><br />After signing off some paperwork at the attorney’s office for the young one’s Florida Birth Certificate, it was off to New Smyrna Beach, a somewhat sleepy beach town about 10 miles south of Daytona Beach. Around this time, it tends to liven up a bit with the overflow of spring breakers, and HomeDaddy found out that he was just on the edge of the revelers making their full blown presence known. The annual event would be in total swing by next weekend.<br /><br />HD had been suffering from a bulging disc (to match his bulging waistline) for some time, and felt quite good on Friday, after checking in at his oceanfront room (not really as glamorous as it sounds), so a short walk up the beach seemed perfectly in order. Then it hit …. Shots of pain up and down the right leg from the hip to the ankle and back. Turning around to start back, he realizes that he’s gone farther than he should have and limps, gimps and staggers his way south as the last ray of light disappears behind another slinky dink motel marring what once was a pristine natural beach. He sits down and comes to the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTuofBJfFtau03MS0iK64wOjVDVAb1q_UMgR5HzkovXzlYOSZ6BxKQx-em2faVK5yv1J3sKizaMfgLR1VnYE6VgoRcQTRaMKvGTzeiJiLD-dKHNdu2r0xz7P6YVYV2Rvr8BIjpgUwyfJT/s1600-h/motelsign.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313855172187426834" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 171px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 254px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTuofBJfFtau03MS0iK64wOjVDVAb1q_UMgR5HzkovXzlYOSZ6BxKQx-em2faVK5yv1J3sKizaMfgLR1VnYE6VgoRcQTRaMKvGTzeiJiLD-dKHNdu2r0xz7P6YVYV2Rvr8BIjpgUwyfJT/s320/motelsign.jpg" border="0" /></a>realization that his trek along the ocean would be a lot longer than originally planned. No more cars on the beach …. Can’t hitchhike back. Limp, gimp, stagger. Finally, the lights of the flickering neon sign came into view …. HD was never so glad to see The Surf High Motel. Back in the bare bones room: “Bartender. A round of Tylenol 3 for everyone!” The snores could be heard out on A1A sounding like a beached sea monster.<br /><br />Next morning, after trying to stretch out the stiffness, it was off to the nearest Starbucks. A sad fact: not one was to be found between NSB and Daytona. This town is so laid back that residents haven’t the foggiest what a Double MachoCappoFrappoLatto is. It would be totally out of character for a Starbucks to occupy a storefront on Flagler Avenue, a 4 block street with several bars, musty eateries, trendy beach shoppes and rental offices. My<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYl9FzmLuGj6xRQbk74xHat3TwATnoyt3k0Y-AnTnRifZ41K_-XnToZIWUS7J_FNdTos7MefdyJcdlgrDf7K5KAxBqubKjJACS-8mfgN3CynVv6kPBDJpaiSLXciIvP6tcJpxgE40gO19/s1600-h/flagnew.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313858143018095970" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYl9FzmLuGj6xRQbk74xHat3TwATnoyt3k0Y-AnTnRifZ41K_-XnToZIWUS7J_FNdTos7MefdyJcdlgrDf7K5KAxBqubKjJACS-8mfgN3CynVv6kPBDJpaiSLXciIvP6tcJpxgE40gO19/s320/flagnew.jpg" border="0" /></a> favorite dive is The Breakers, located directly on the beach with an open air seating area overlooking all the activity at Oceanside. I avoided my usual basket of fried clams for an ahi tuna salad which hit the spot when accompanied by a $5.00 Blue Moon draft. The entertainment on the beach at spring break brought back memories of college days as I tried to remember if I had a memory back then.<br /><br />The pain returned to my leg and back around mid-afternoon, so a lounge next to the pool with a book sounded like a good thing. “The Smokers Over 65 <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5w9JcUAyadQw2YgAxKPIVze6wS9oDi8g4roqycI3OeiIhz5eMHG4PsczgWQQcV2mahn9WWtmtNijNXDb4SaGMf7ymxFDuedW7CPhRYRABBpb4o1VOJZ9NTHQbe5e5LgD8DtGa3hh8tyh/s1600-h/Old+Boy+Smoking.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314305694031378722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 198px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5w9JcUAyadQw2YgAxKPIVze6wS9oDi8g4roqycI3OeiIhz5eMHG4PsczgWQQcV2mahn9WWtmtNijNXDb4SaGMf7ymxFDuedW7CPhRYRABBpb4o1VOJZ9NTHQbe5e5LgD8DtGa3hh8tyh/s200/Old+Boy+Smoking.jpg" border="0" /></a>Convention”<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0Npb0pRq6e5TNEphKFtgVzNnCgKUISo3hMgB5w-vgt7bd3aa6hMknqU2ukR5GW1HyNteF4X2ymD8shQMvobRm63OoavzqHiRra69PRRWj1_iFeojw6EKMiH27G3WYvur-Z6vGTf4w1gZ/s1600-h/old+guy+smokes.jpg"></a> must have been in town. Their smoke, complimented by odors of sunscreen, sweat, and cheap cologne gently wafting my way on an occasional sea breeze made for an aromatic as well as visual feast. I then remembered why I am drawn to the beach – walking and swimming. With my leg on the fritz, it made it impossible to participate in my favorite pastimes and caused me to look at the scene at poolside. I don’t want this to be me in a few years. It caused me to miss dearly my 2 year old daughter and super-woman wife and reflect on the necessity to maintain my health in order to be there when they need me.<br />I thought “Gee. Sure glad I had the ahi instead of the fried nasties.” Well, it was a start.<br /><br />A tuna sub for dinner, followed by a Tylenol 3 chaser and it was lights out at 9. I missed the gleaming of the dawn’s early light over the ocean as it was a difficult night with pain and opted to take off early for home in the Magic Kingdom. MamaBe and The Empress were at church (bad HomeDaddy played hookie – I’m gonna die and go to hell – wait – different dogma) and it wasn’t long before being greeted to the shrill screams of “Daddy! Daddy!” It was music to my ears.<br /><br />This week: more physical therapy and a look at what I’m putting in my pie hole. I need to be around for the important stuff…….</span> </span></div>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-57520958920453210602009-02-14T10:49:00.001-08:002009-03-17T17:57:22.846-07:00Happy Valentine's Day ..... What? No Magpies?!?!?!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWg6d6yp2V3EDDYT0D6KwwiV68WYXSab94U4FdztyW84gttlytVNtYgF9bwJPQeLbxZB379jTBtmv4izC0obc-IZ5DzVU6qkf_mwigb5-QJma1Jh2RgOz_h5gEl94JMYLRnCGWSARUyUw/s1600-h/Chinese+Valentine.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302727261762932162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 340px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIWg6d6yp2V3EDDYT0D6KwwiV68WYXSab94U4FdztyW84gttlytVNtYgF9bwJPQeLbxZB379jTBtmv4izC0obc-IZ5DzVU6qkf_mwigb5-QJma1Jh2RgOz_h5gEl94JMYLRnCGWSARUyUw/s400/Chinese+Valentine.jpg" border="0" /></a> On the evening of the seventh day of the seventh month on the Chinese lunar calendar, don't forget to look carefully at the summer sky. You'll find the Cowherd (a bright star in the constellation Aquila, west of the Milky Way) and the Weaving Maid (the star Vega, east of the Milky Way) appear closer together than at any other time of the year. Chinese believe the stars are lovers who are permitted to meet by the queen of Heaven once a year. That day falls on the double seventh (Qixi in Chinese), which is China's own Valentine's Day.Most Chinese remember being told a romantic tragedy when they were children on the double seventh. In the legend, the cowherd and the Weaving Maid will meet on a bridge of magpies across the Milky Way once a year. Chinese grannies will remind children that they would not be able to see any magpies on that evening because all the magpies have left to form a bridge in the heavens with their wings.<br /></div>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-18760609462552566852009-02-07T13:20:00.001-08:002009-02-07T13:21:40.513-08:00Change<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNt5eOmZAwZ7esys_gx2vYWskpvJ6ECG_ISOfQscyuoqkJcwOy9TE13uIFWs8QvYpkoFdYHUVkdUUW3yUkwpJyoTLKRmLXCQiiLFZt0cA5h1p12YAxmSHHuMmPFckbuBxQZILULVVg6y_A/s1600-h/original_image.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300168606685540322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 269px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNt5eOmZAwZ7esys_gx2vYWskpvJ6ECG_ISOfQscyuoqkJcwOy9TE13uIFWs8QvYpkoFdYHUVkdUUW3yUkwpJyoTLKRmLXCQiiLFZt0cA5h1p12YAxmSHHuMmPFckbuBxQZILULVVg6y_A/s400/original_image.jpg" border="0" /></a> I had some fun on obamame.com<br /><br /></div>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3107017001941107358.post-81551179820236490562009-01-12T07:47:00.000-08:002009-01-26T19:36:43.477-08:00Sarah Brightman - The "What the Hell?" Tour Stops in OrlandoSarah Brightman is an enigma, a sort of riddle without a punchline or a mystery that has no outcome. To define her would be like trying to find explain Cirque du Soleil or even Cher. I have a real love/hate thing with her music and performances. Here is an incredibly talented woman who can sing opera or pop (popera) and go from one to the other effortlessly, yet she insists on larding her albums with songs using a whispy voice that requires that she push so much air to produce the undesirable sound, that her head must spin for lack of oxygen. This annoyance is quite evident in her 2 latest CDs, “Symphony’ and “A Winter Symphony”.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivewsfNE3X3wlRwn_v61L3hJ7lFqKMBf8NQCefXvnyMVzBi_ol1g0lElf87t0sZS-5S7Ig8OJ_EIvYVy13vzEvet7NzmYjSSAadRT2WuKWNHwtJfi1506vz3V_FzUw6bBc4_vMQmWZ2PY5/s1600-h/Brightman+Symphony.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290440562897655090" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivewsfNE3X3wlRwn_v61L3hJ7lFqKMBf8NQCefXvnyMVzBi_ol1g0lElf87t0sZS-5S7Ig8OJ_EIvYVy13vzEvet7NzmYjSSAadRT2WuKWNHwtJfi1506vz3V_FzUw6bBc4_vMQmWZ2PY5/s200/Brightman+Symphony.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VMAZMeBVG8sGr1nzqIeeJE9owQg-gxCajU67sVD7OyKIgt8R8yrr7Z7bA3vLFrfYuUFhYybelhj-x2JN10TZPjN9kNp3Y4VUe7cwg5VLhyphenhyphen7Awyfft5GzFarUacjqbK0vljgAmoSsBtFT/s1600-h/Brightman+Winter+Symphony.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290440434635682930" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VMAZMeBVG8sGr1nzqIeeJE9owQg-gxCajU67sVD7OyKIgt8R8yrr7Z7bA3vLFrfYuUFhYybelhj-x2JN10TZPjN9kNp3Y4VUe7cwg5VLhyphenhyphen7Awyfft5GzFarUacjqbK0vljgAmoSsBtFT/s200/Brightman+Winter+Symphony.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLG-K_BE9MhDz1_a7kS7kg491IezN0qZRjbabESYRpT-bb9vajd_hgY1o9LWf-Se3cW9KXXbjumtHIs-UO9t59MFiOsq4oLfx2tGCV_qDUhbapEDAfoAD7-_J8F8amhcOcXf9VqtKB0IBh/s1600-h/Brightman+Symphony.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4O5tUwDVm30vX1zIcwAh1EFMiUa0u0xnQGZkqt4Q8di824WN8PhjMXjTIvCRixDmFdTCYmoNAbF2DAIJ7XH0Sf7Ko_4chhfvSyUF7qmz3gWgGn87Ncemb33CnSgcqaziUNIBnHKC4NM5H/s1600-h/Brightman+Winter+Symphony.bmp"></a><div><br />On the tune “Fleur du Mal” (from “Symphony”) you can hear her inhaling as if gasping (not just a polite breath) to make it to the end of some of the phrases. Yet, she is able to give a credible performance using both pop and opera on several of the other songs on the album. Take “Canto Della Terra” – she starts off the piece in that weak little cherub head voice and then soars into a trained ‘classical’ interpretation opposite Andrea Bocelli. The effect is stunning! Yet she continues to use that chirpy little bird voice on too many of her songs, especially on her “A Winter Symphony” CD. Any hint of vocal substance is missing from this cold and dreary project which includes “throwaways” for the sake of meeting production deadlines. Arrangements are bland and uninteresting.<br />Yet, in the past, she could take me off the floor with her high-ceilinged vocal interpretations. Her combination of light and airy with classic vocal performance is evident on such tunes as “Anytime, Anywhere”, “Il Mio Cuore Va’, “Figlio Perduto”, and of course “Time to Say Goodbye”. It is a palatable mix. </div><div>********<br />Knowing that she would be covering songs from “my <strong><em>many</em></strong> previous albums”, I went to see her at the new UCF Arena on her latest “Symphony” tour. The show would better have been titled “What the Hell?” The evening’s proceedings began with a lengthly prerecorded music wash with accompanying light ballets and flickers as the diva set herself in place at the head of a long runway protruding from the stage into the audience.<br /><br /></div></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJkMnHpMUFLYbH79KwIrsH3mTs-qXwTJdSGIKzRjOczVMv0bLzIeYyZY8w6cVvuZOmjpO-2vGLUSntNBUQShW5LkcQutTAepW5SsYKy47RYI4joLDhnhRxDrkUXm4Hb8tf3KAFxsW866y/s1600-h/Brightman+Black+Bride.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290436350471266338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 271px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJkMnHpMUFLYbH79KwIrsH3mTs-qXwTJdSGIKzRjOczVMv0bLzIeYyZY8w6cVvuZOmjpO-2vGLUSntNBUQShW5LkcQutTAepW5SsYKy47RYI4joLDhnhRxDrkUXm4Hb8tf3KAFxsW866y/s400/Brightman+Black+Bride.jpg" border="0" /></a> When the lights came up, THIS is what we saw .....</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">My first “What the Hell?” moment. Did she have a fight with her patio screens while she was storing them up for winter? Is she afraid of being attacked by killer bees? All I could think was …. You guessed it …. “What the Hell?” Several dancing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKZ8RqXqNdM&feature=related"><span style="color:#ff99ff;">members of her entourage appeared and undraped the mess</span></a><span style="color:#ff99ff;">, revealing </span><a href="http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2504071100057430304AQGxyJ"><span style="color:#ff99ff;">Ms Brightman dressed in a red gown</span></a>. It was my wish at this point that she just sing in the very nice dress. Not to happen. She made it through several tunes from her latest effort, dancers appeared and did a few choreographed wiggles and kicks, the lights went down and Ms Brightman appeared to be ‘suspended’ in a water ballet scene as she sang “Hijo de la Luna”. Don’t call lockdown on me – our diva du jour was actually laying on the floor of the stage being photographed and projected on the screen just above the stage. It was a great effect and the audience appreciated the technology.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2775368340057430304ojCBiE"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290436047284749298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 279px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQ9fCemvpwuk6pRC8PTbTT-fG3QjYgkAmCDMG3p-Gpnhy9zIcrHB1Tyju84AbSHFYy5x1EpHJFyM4XilbFGt5UEr8_ZZEfauMVpmVTWWKQwEMKgoJvYDdJPLq-UsRgZIOxR7gqzB3CNuI/s400/Brightman+Water+Ballet.jpg" border="0" /><span style="color:#ff99ff;">Her costumes were just downright goofy</span></a>. In a duet with tenor Mario Frangoulis, she wore this little number from the Marie Antoinette/Ringling Brothers Collection. Frangoulis just about blew her off the stage with his amazing chops and I don’t know how he kept a straight face while singing with her. It was quite bizarre. <a href="http://communitylink.gopbi.com/servlet/groups_ProcServ/DBPAGE=page&MODE=display&GID=00065000001048195658143602&PG=00065000001048195658209328&START_COUNT=2"><span style="color:#ff99ff;">See my review of a Frangoulis concert here</span> </a>….. scroll down to "Tampa Concert Report by a Fan".<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZqQf93NQMc20FGTLZTgsd9GRA1vW4dPQBtfIepnv-IbTMkSBu6L-P0Y3gMrHoztr-rcKYjXsGvd3QlrK7N7TwLKgHAIUB38Kx-9cdVg2xBc3tqdO5ByCHfIK_cjn5wl5ZG3IpH25juqa/s1600-h/mario_sarah.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290435863907691490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 347px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZqQf93NQMc20FGTLZTgsd9GRA1vW4dPQBtfIepnv-IbTMkSBu6L-P0Y3gMrHoztr-rcKYjXsGvd3QlrK7N7TwLKgHAIUB38Kx-9cdVg2xBc3tqdO5ByCHfIK_cjn5wl5ZG3IpH25juqa/s400/mario_sarah.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em><span style="font-size:85%;">"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My heartfelt apologies for the steep ticket prices.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;">It takes big bucks to make a woman look this cheap."</span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em><br />And then there was this item from the What the Hell? Collection. Oy!<br /><br /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290435507325815426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 269px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsIORmGjrBSSsDxkcujMhyDuFLsvn7V-szZhh0VbzP34Ydb9jPqSboMixQ_ioKiUH_v1MTaMyBnP82l6f3LHFoL_TZYVPLnzkCW76wZ9x18sY6CMfs5mUSwDNeYR_E57nHvuoIU4nVcAlS/s400/Brightman+WTF.jpg" border="0" /></div><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;">"Hello. My name is Sarah Brightman.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Is this the casting call for the Fellini movie?"</span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em></div><div></div><div>About that time, I wanted to yell “Just put on a nice dress and just sing, for crying out loud!”<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRdA4ZFXLpxAZ3fQUAcX6L2RhR7AzhrWkzHVB9OyXo2YB13UQw2bnxA-LLIrwJh8cn__0ygIv4Ej37eVQxQ0jP5I1lIS1QO4EdTHPX8qHyABPXcMVRmxkLBlYYz1Mh_sz8V84ikLwRpcC/s1600-h/Brightman+Nice+Dress.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290435239434528866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 323px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRdA4ZFXLpxAZ3fQUAcX6L2RhR7AzhrWkzHVB9OyXo2YB13UQw2bnxA-LLIrwJh8cn__0ygIv4Ej37eVQxQ0jP5I1lIS1QO4EdTHPX8qHyABPXcMVRmxkLBlYYz1Mh_sz8V84ikLwRpcC/s400/Brightman+Nice+Dress.jpg" border="0" /></a> So she did.</div><div></div><div>……. And Frangoulis joined her again for The Phantom of the Opera, the high point in the show. But alas, weird became the new black. A guy in a rabbit head, the Mad Hatter and Alice in Wonderland popped out from a trap door in the floor and chased each other about and before we knew it, there was<span style="color:#ffccff;"> </span><a href="http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2760002460057430304PvmvuZ"><span style="color:#ff99ff;">Ms Brightman, suspended on a stationary bicycle as a somewhat demented Little Red Riding Hood </span></a><span style="color:#ffffcc;">(</span>keep in mind – this babe is 48 years old) peddling away, doing a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ILu7dsp8YM"><span style="color:#ff99ff;">rap number with Tchkovsky’s “Nutcracker” </span></a>being chased by holographic wolves projected on a scrim. I’m not making this up. At first, I thought the beer that I had at intermission had distorted my brain's eye, but my wife, who was not partaking of the $6.00 beverage selection, backed me up on what I saw. SB is proud to announce that all of the ideas for her shows come out of her imagination. I Googled it --- she has had no recent head wounds.<br /><br />But, I am still quite the Sarah Brightman fan, for which I should probably see a shrink. Her purists will say “Oh, but that’s just our Sarah. She is so MANY different things.” Baloney! She’s quite the nutjob and she is one talented gal. If she does half the show without an overdose of the creepies, it’s still worth the ticket.</div><div>See you on the "It's All About Me" tour, Sarah. </div></div></div></div>Don and Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16861088548627178587noreply@blogger.com7