something ridiculous.

I thought this was a joke when I clicked on this news story. But no, this is actually serious....


HOUSTON (Aug. 10) -- A married man is suing 1-800-Flowers for $1 million for revealing that he was cheating on his wife.

Leroy Greer said in a lawsuit filed this week in a federal court in Texas that he bought flowers for his girlfriend through 1-800-Flowers. He asked to keep his purchase private.

Greer said he was referred to the company's privacy policy, which states that customers can ask 1-800-Flowers not to share personal information with "third parties."

But, the lawsuit says, 1-800-Flowers sent a thank-you note to his house and his wife saw it. When she called the company, 1-800-Flowers faxed her a copy of the receipt from Greer's secret purchase.

The receipt revealed that Greer had sent another woman a dozen long-stemmed red roses, along with a note that read, "Just wanted to say that I love you and you mean the world to me!" according to court documents. The couple was already going through what Greer's attorney described as an amicable divorce.

After learning of the affair, Greer's wife asked for a $300,000 divorce settlement in addition to child support, said Kennitra Foote, Greer's attorney.

"That thank-you note is going to cost him money," Foote said.

Greer is asking for $1 million for breach of contract and deceptive trade practices. "This is not a moral issue," Foote said. "The issue is, is 1-800-Flowers in the business of causing divorce or are they in the business of sending flowers and sticking to their privacy policy?"

A 1-800-Flowers spokesman said the company does not comment on pending litigation. In a statement, spokesman Steven Jarmon said, "We take all matters relating to our customers seriously; however, we are not responsible for an individual's personal conduct."

Copyright 2007 ABCNEWS.com

A ridiculous lawsuit, okay? The divorce is not final yet, so don't cheat on your wife. You are responsible for yourself, so if you got caught it's on you, bud. It's on you. So pony up the money and (hopefully) learn from your mistakes.

Nickelback, here I come!

I was lucky to see Matchbox Twenty in concert, about four years ago. That was one of my goals, to see them. Another one of my goals is to see John Mayer in concert, as well as meet him. That hasn't happened yet, but I'm sure it will in time.

Now, another one of my goals has been reached. I am getting to see a VERY favorite band of mine in concert, Nickelback. Have been a fan of their's since 2001, and I say this: it's about time! :D

my theory

I have an odd theory. So just bear with me while I test the waters.

I have a theory that you can tell a lot about a person by the type of music that they listen to. Here is my iTunes iPod list of the Top 25 songs I like to listen to:



Just in case you're not able to see it, I listen to a wide variety of music. Country, rap, blues, 80s music (I am an 80s child), rock, you name it. I even listen to classical. So I like to think I'm pretty open-minded.

That way with movies, too. But that's a post for another time.

the real world...

I like to think a lot about this term..."the real world." Especially since I will be graduating college in the fall, and will soon be entering "the real world."

I took a philosophy class once, called Knowledge and Reality; something the professor said stood out in my mind: "What is real? Is it what our brain processes? Is it what we perceive to be real? What is real for us may not be real for others."

How true this is. My reality is most definitely not other people's reality. I realize how lucky my life has been, and how I've had people supporting me and encouraging me all throughout my journey to get to my goal of becoming a teacher.

To those people, I give my thanks.

is it wrong...

...that I am in love with the way John Mayer looks in this picture?



John Mayer, if you're out there, let's schedule a booty call. ;)

Joker's wild.

What The Joker will look like in the new Batman movie, coming out in 2008 [The Dark Knight].

Now, I loved this reboot of the Batman series. It was Batman the way it was MEANT to be done: Batman was scary, and badass. I also like the choosing of the villians, and how they look REAL, not comic book-y.

The Joker will be played by Heath Ledger, who is a good actor [when he wants to be]. I am curious to see how he'll do as someone evil...

P.S. Yes, I read the entire Harry Potter book in one sitting. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

zee Deathly Hallows.

Yes, I am still awake.

I'm all psyched for the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Have a copy on hold. I have refused to look at any spoiler websites, and anyone who tries to tell me spoilers, I plug my ears and go, "La la la..."

I will probably read the entire damn book in one sitting...that's how nuts I am. I'll let you know how it is...

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: review

I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan. I was a fan of the movies before I read the books, but since I read the books, I appreciated those as well.

The other four movies have not disappointed me, and I knew that this one would not. I saw OotP the day after it came out, and the two hours and eighteen minutes completely passed by. It followed the book very well, and I loved the performances from Imelda Staunton [Dolores Umbridge], and Michael Gambon [he got Dumbledore's personality from the book spot on]. Daniel Radcliffe [as Harry], does well, as always, but in this movie, you can see how much he's grown.

Five out of five stars, and I can't wait for it to come out to DVD.

Guitar Hero: the most addictive game on the planet.

Whenever I talk to a guy and I tell him I like to play PS2 games, this is the response I get: "Really?" As if this is some kind of an anomaly. C'mon, there's got to be other girls out there who like to play PS2 games, right?





Anywho, I guess I'm a self-professed gamer. I love the Metal Gear game series [have played and beaten them all]; the Godfather game rocked [loved the movie and decided to buy and play the game]. I have a soft spot for the Lego Star Wars games [so funny...I laughed my butt off while playing them]. And recently, I beat Indigo Prophecy, which is quite a good story game.





But the most fun game thus far has to be Guitar Hero. Or Guitar Hero II, actually.

I recently bought it in a package that has the controller and the game for 79.92, which is cheaper than going and buying it separately...just so you know. :) And I have to tell you, this game is like crack. Who needs drugs when you have Guitar Hero. *laughs* The only part of the game I have not yet beaten is Free Bird, by Lynard Skynard. Then I'm on to the hard level, with five keys! Woo hoo!

Already I've spent hours on this thing. It is so much fun. An expansion on the game is going to come out on July 24th, something about music from the 80s. I am so there.

George Costanza's Answering Machine

I would love to have a message like this....

Land of Confusion.

What's the first thing you think of when you think of the song "Land of Confusion?" Well, here's the first thing I think of:



Yes, the music video. With all the weird puppets and all that jazz. Gosh, I remember when this video came on MTV...it kinda freaked me out. Hey, I was only four! But I managed to get used to it, and started watching it 'cause I thought the puppets were funny.

When I was old enough to understand what the song meant, now that I listen to it...I realize this song is a statement against the state of the nation. And a pretty damn good one, too. Using the weird puppets in the video was a very clever idea to get the statement across. I love this song.

Don't believe me about the lyrics? Here, look:

I must've dreamed a thousand dreams
Been haunted by a million screams
I can hear the marching feet
They're moving into the street

Now did you read the news today
They say the danger's gone away
But I can see the fire's still alight
Burning into the night

Too many men
Too many people
Making too many problems
And there's not much love to go round
Can't you see
This is the land of confusion

This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make is a place worth living in

Oh Superman where are you now
Everything's gone wrong somehow
The men of steel, men of power
Are losing control by the hour

This is the time
This is the place
So we look for the future
But there's not much love to go round
Tell me why, this is a land of confusion

This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make is a place worth living in

I remember long ago -
When the sun was shining
The stars were bright
All through the night
And the sound of your laughter
As I held you tight
So long ago -

I won't be coming home tonight
My generation will put it right
We're not just making promises
That we know, we'll never keep

Too many men
Too many people
Making too many problems
And there's not much love to go round
Can't you see
This is a land of confusion

This is the world we live in
These are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make is a place worth fighting for

This is the world we live in
And these are the names we're given
Stand up and let's start showing
Just where our lives are going to

Yes, I feel this song is a political statement. It fit during the time it was written, and it fits today, with the Disturbed cover of the song. [The cover is good too.]

Mad Libs.

I love these things. I remember when I was a kid, I used to order them all the time from the book orders at school. I STILL love them. They amuse me very muchly. :)

I did one on this website: http://www.madlibs.org and it made me laugh. This was called Eleanor Rigby Mad Lib; the bolded words are the words I chose:


Ah, look at all the red jackhammers!
Ah, look at all the red jackhammers!

Mirabella Gregory picks up the tin can in a grocery store where a Olympics has been.
chew in a light bulb.

sigh at the cloud, wearing the gym sock that she keeps in a ceiling by the slingshot. Who is it for?

All the red jackhammers, where do they all come from?
All the red jackhammers, where do they all glare?

Try some Mad Libs. They're good for boredom. :)

7.7.07...luckiest day of the year? Yeah, right.

Everyone on the new has been gushing about 7.7.07, and how it's the luckiest day of the year. Normally, I'd agree with them, but not today, because my monthly bill came today [all you women know what I'm talking about...maybe a few of you guys as well]. Now, how is this the luckiest day of the year/century for me?

If someone asks how I spent my 7.7.07, I'll say, "With a heating pad on, hopped up on caffeine and ginger tea." Ginger tea, by the way, is the nastiest crap I've ever tasted!

Oh, another thing...that STUPID Always slogan: "Have a happy period." The packages are even flowered now. Question: since when are periods a happy thing? I cramp. I bloat. I'm crabby. I mean, come on.

Seinfeld: Best show in the world. Period.

Seinfeld is the best show in the entire world. The best show there ever was, or ever will be.

I never watched it while it was on the air, because I was too young to get the jokes and such. My mom is the reason I like this show, and she got me seasons 1 and 2 on DVD one Christmas.

I was hooked.

Basically, it's a show about nothing, and that's what makes it so funny.

Here is a website with Seinfeld quotes from all 138 episodes that I found to be rather interesting: Seinfeld quotes

If you have never seen this show...get the DVDs! Or catch it on reruns. You won't be disappointed. :)

your body is a wonderland...

...and apparently, there's a place called Wonder Land too.

Interesting.

Got me to thinking about odd town names, so I looked it up. Man, I was amused...they have some for each state [be prepared for some reading]:

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/LA-OddPlaceNames.html

I looked up some of the towns, and most of them are either ghost towns, or very tiny towns. For example, Eek, Alaska only has a population of 280. That's almost my entire graduating class. Weird.

All my life I equated "small" with the town I live in, which had 4,000 at one point.

Nickelodeon and Saturday morning TV nostalgia.

I was watching Fairly Oddparents on DVD, and I got to thinking about all of the Nickelodeon shows I used to watch when I was a kid, and ones that I loved. Here's the list, off the top of my head:

1. Rocko's Modern Life
2. Ren and Stimpy
3. All That
4. Roundhouse
5. Are You Afraid of the Dark?
6. Legends of the Hidden Temple
7. Clarissa Explains It All
8. The Adventures of Pete and Pete
9. The Angry Beavers
10. Double Dare
11. What Would You Do?
12. Hey, Dude!
13. Salute Your Shorts
14. Wild and Crazy Kids

Then I got to thinking about other shows I used to watch:

1. Ghostwriter
2. Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
3. Beakman's World
4. Pee Wee's Playhouse
5. David the Gnome (I still know the theme song!)
6. Sharon, Lois, and Bram's Elephant Show
7. Fred Penner's Place

Ah, good times. :)

rabbit, rabbit.

Once again, happy first of the month.

I wish you luck in the coming month...

P.S. My real name is not Brandykins, by the way...just my nickname. *laughs*

cockapoos make good pets

Me and my Cockapoo, Butterscotch. 1/2 Cocker Spaniel, 1/2 Poodle. Here's some info about the breed for y'all who don't know.

Breed Group: Not AKC Recognized

Weight: 6-19 lbs

Height: 14-15 inches

Color(s): white, cream, tan and all combinations of these

Coat: The Cockapoo is a mixed breed without a breed standard, however the preferred coat is dense, curly or heavily wavy, and close. The Cockapoo should carry coat characteristics from both the Poodle and the Cocker Spaniel.

Overview: The Cockapoo is highly intelligent, retaining much of that from the Poodle breed, and becoming very popular as a companion animal. A sturdy little dog, they have a great disposition. This breed can also be somewhat passive and can also be dog aggressive if not given the proper socialization.

Character: The Cockapoo is loyal, intelligent, and very affectionate. This dog is fairly easy to train being mixed with what is said to be one of the smartest dogs in the world. Being that this dog is mixed with the Poodle, he makes a wonderful training student. Having a very sweet nature, this dog is sure to steal the hearts of many.

Temperament: This breed is eager to please, vigorous, and friendly, making him a popular choice as a companion. The Cockapoo generally gets along with children and other animals, but should always be supervised. The Poodle and Spaniel in this mix can both have aggression problems if not dealt with at a young age.

Care: The Cockapoo should be brushed and combed regularly. It is said that this breed is little to no shedding, however when being brushed hair does come out making shedding even less common. Clipping is required at least once a year.

Training: The Cockapoo is a very intelligent dog, making training a breeze at times. This dog does well in obedience, and with the right training techniques and proper handling this dog will thrive. This dog requires firm handling, but can be somewhat sensitive to the tone of your voice so training should be consistent and relatively firm yet gentle.

Activity: The Cockapoo is a happy-go-lucky dog that loves to run and play with his family. No yard is fine, but this dog does require daily walks. They also have the tendency to overeat so exercise is needed for this dog to stay healthy.

Sometimes I love him, and other times he can be a big pain in the ass. But hey, that's love. And he loves snuggles. :)

He'll be a year old August 26th.

Public Apology.

This deserved an entry in itself.

If you don't know John Mayer or are a fan of his, then you won't get this or his sense of humor, which is funny...if you get it.



An apology fraught with giggles and people trying not to laugh. So right there you can tell it ain't no apology...*laughs*.

wikipedia...apparently you can find anything on here.

I did a little experiment. Just to see.

I thought of some words, the first words that popped into my head, and typed them into wikipedia's search engine. Every single stinking word I thought of had an entry:

1. Orgasm
2. Wine cooler
3. jabberwocky
4. underwear [even talks about the freakin' history of underwear]
5. Facebook
6. itch

wow. amazing! ha ha ha.

some people just don't get it.

...and I'm speaking in reference to my ex-boyfriend.

We went out for three months and it wasn't really that great. He was an asshole and treated me like shit.

Now, he comes into my place of work tonight and tells me he was an asshole and that "maybe we could start over." First of all, I was the main one giving in that relationship. I wasn't appreciated. I don't have anything more to give to him and I don't want to. I told him as such. He said he understood, but he's asked me to get back together with him before.

We'll see if he FINALLY gets it.

a baby with 25 middle names.

Now this is weird.

I found a news story on Yahoo! about a baby girl with 25 middle names.

*****

LONDON (AFP) - Baby Autumn Brown has a name to live up - in fact she has over 25 of them.

The little girl's mother Maria, in keeping with her boxing-mad family's bizarre tradition, decided to give her 25 middle names - all culled from the greatest exponents inside the ring.

Her full name, which left register office staff in Perton, Wolverhampton reeling is: Autumn Sullivan Corbett Fitzsimmons Jeffries Hart Burns Johnson Willard Dempsey Tunney Schmeling Sharkey Carnera Baer Braddock Louis Charles Walcott Marciano Patterson Johansson Liston Clay Frazier Foreman Brown.

Maria told the city's Express and Star: "The whole thing came about because both my mum and dad are obsessed with boxing and have a bit of a daft sense of humour.

"When I was young I couldn't ever remember my name. It took me to the age of 10 to memorise it all."

The 33-year-old mother added: "I'm hoping Autumn has a good sense of humour with her name. It's never done me any harm though."

*****

25 middle names is a little weird, weird sense of humor or not. It also reminds me of a show I saw on VH1 about celebrities and what they named their babies. Puma and Rain Beau came up and those aren't bad...and then there was Pilot Inspecktor and Audio Science.

Poor kids.

sweeeet.

I was the blog of day for June 19th. A little late in posting, I know, but I just checked my e-mail. This gives me confidence to keep on writing, 'cause apparently people enjoy it. *laughs*

being 25 is awesome.

I thought that being 25 would be all weird.

I find that it is awesome, for some reason I can't explain.

Not too much to report as far as what I did on my b-day; I ate lunch with the family, drank some strawberry daiquiris, and saw Shrek 3. Pretty low-key day.

black and white pictures.

I love black and white pictures. I think because they remind me of old time glamour and such. Here is my favorite black and white picture of my favorite singer guy, John Mayer.










Not looking directly at the camera, which I love. I just love this picture period. So don't say anything bad 'bout it or I'll smack you. *laughs*

disappointments.

Isn't the third movie in a supposed trilogy supposed to be the best one? That's what I thought. Lord of the Rings NAILED the last movie in the trilogy. Star Wars? Yes. Indiana Jones? Check. Harry Potter (even though it's not a triology)? Double check.

Spider-Man 3? No.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End? No.

What were the major problems with each?

Spider-Man 3: For starters, too many villains. Sandman, Venom, and Green Goblin. Should've stuck to the formula that made the other two movies successful: one villain and one villain only. Secondly, wrong casting. Venom shouldn't have been Topher Grace. Period. And Gwen Stacey...she didn't even belong in the movie at all.

Last, cheesy dialogue ("Can you help me?...I'm a little busy here, Pete!") and too much Peter and M.J.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End: I once read someone named sequels do better than numbered sequels. I expected a hell of a lot more out of this than what I got. Not enough Jack Sparrow or Barbossa. Too much Will and Elizabeth. Not sticking to character (Barbossa would tell Will and Elizabeth both to get bent when they asked him to marry them in a middle of a fight. Yeah, sure. Who'd get married in the middle of a fight.) Chow Yun-Fat's character didn't even need to be there.

Overall? I was very disappointed.

Hope Shrek 3 and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer are better.

QLC (the quarter-life crisis).

I am going to be turning 25 soon (June 20th, to be exact). I will also be graduating college in December, with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education. It has hit me I'll soon be out in what is termed the "real world." And I gotta tell you...

...it feels weird.

How I'm feeling actually has a term: QLC (or in layman's terms, the quarter-life crisis). I didn't even know I was in crisis mode. It even has its' own wikipedia entry:

The quarterlife crisis (QLC) is a term applied to the period of life immediately following the major changes of adolescence, usually ranging from ages 21 - 29. The term is named by analogy with mid-life crisis. It is now recognised by many therapists and professionals in the mental health field.

Do I possess all of the characteristics? Let's see:

Characteristics of quarter-life crisis include:

1. feeling "not good enough" because one can't find a job that is at one's academic/intellectual level (no, not yet; but I have a job prospect).

2. frustration with relationships, the working world, and finding a suitable job or career (I'm pretty happy with being me and being alone, 'cause it doesn't mean I have to be lonely. *smiles*)

3. confusion of identity (I know who I am.)

4. insecurity regarding the near future (I'm not afraid of the future. Life is too short to worry about something you can't control.)

5. insecurity regarding present accomplishments (I'm proud that I'll soon be graduating. That is my BIGGEST accomplishment.)

6. re-evaluation of close interpersonal relationships (pretty comfortable in this area as well.)

7. disappointment with one's job (well, yeah, I am...but I work at a crappy job anyway)

8. nostalgia for college life (I like college, but excited to be moving on.)

9. tendency to hold stronger opinions (I've always had strong opinions.)

10. boredom with social interactions (not really.)

11.financially-rooted stress (everyone has financially rooted stress, and I know I'll have it my entire life

12. loneliness (I have my family and friends. As far as a relationship, I'd like to have one, but that will come in its' own time. Whenever life feels I'm ready to have one, it'll give me one.)

13. desire to have children (I do want kids, even if I have to adopt. That won't come till later.)

14. a sense that everyone is, somehow, doing better than you (sometimes I feel like that, and then I remind myself that I am doing just fine.)

So I guess I'm not in QLC. I guess I just feel weird. That's normal. Everyone's weird in their own special way. :)

Slow Dancing in a Burning Room

I am in love with the song Slow Dancing in a Burning Room. I'd marry it if I could. To show you how good this song is, here is Johnny boy performing it live:




Here is the lyrics in case you want to follow along:


Slow Dancing In A Burning Room lyrics

Again, I love this song. I loves the bluesy riffs, and I am in love with John Mayer's voice as well. It is like chocolate. I could live off of it and be totally satisfied.

websites.

I'm building a website.

I forgot how much work it is.

HTML annoys me.

Blech.

Time Machine Update #7

With John Mayer being on tour now, I was wondering when he was going to update his blog. And he did, today. Here is his latest entry:

With Marcy out of the house this weekend, I finished painting the large cardboard wheel with black and white swirls. This will serve as the time machine's time travel indicator, or TTI. The TTI will let my team know that time travel is taking place and not to open the porthole or doors. Then again, I could also lock the porthole and doors, or even hire a team of humans for that matter, but most films I have seen that feature successful time travel include a machine that has a spinning wheel of this nature.

But on to my salient point; if I am to live amongst the people of 1999, I must blend in with them. These two recent purchases will help.

And to the secret government agency that has been trying to recruit me via my eBay feedback, please stop. I didn't ask for these powers. But I am glad you are enjoying the Budweiser mirror.

*****

Johnny Boy, I think someone has read too much Ray Bradbury and/or science fiction. *laughs* But if you are hiring a team of humans, I want to put in my application.

the night owl gene

I'm looking at the clock and wondering why I am still awake, and why I'm not tired. I've always been a night owl.

Apparently, science has an explanation as to why I'm a night owl.

A genetic mutation called the "after-hours gene" may explain why some people are night owls...It could also hold clues for pharmacologists working to develop drugs to help people adjust to shift work or jet lag. There are further implications for the study of causes of some psychiatric disorders.

The altered gene, named "after hours" or Afh, is a variant of a gene called Fbxl3, which had not been linked to the body clock that keeps our metabolism, digestion and sleep patterns in tune with the rising and setting of the sun.

The discovery involved scientists from the Medical Research Council Mammalian Genetics Unit, Oxfordshire, the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology, Cambridge, and colleagues based at New York University.

Pharmaceutical companies are already beginning to study this class of proteins as potential drug targets.

By monitoring when and how often the mice chose to run on an exercise wheel the team spotted a change in some of the animals’ normal rhythms.

Instead of following the typical 24 hour pattern, some of the mice had body clocks that stretched to up to a 27 hour day.

Closer study of the DNA from the mice then revealed that those on a 27-hour-cycle had the after hours version of the Fbxl3 gene, one of a large family that controls the breakdown of specific proteins within body cells.

Dr Patrick Nolan, of the MRC Mammalian Genetics Unit, who led the study said: ‘‘The internal body clocks of mice with the after hours gene run on a longer cycle than mice that have a normal copy of the gene, who like most of us live on a 24 hour schedule.’’

The “cogs” of the body clock consist of interlocked cycles of proteins that wax and wane in cells. One of the key components of this loop is a protein called Cry.

“We found that mice that carried the after hours gene also had a delayed Cry protein breakdown rate, leading to a slowdown in the molecular feedback loops and a lengthening of the body clock cycle.’’

(from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/27/nclock27.xml )

Even when I go to bed early (9, 10) I still feel zonked the next day. So apparently my biological clock's batteries needed constantly recharged. Okay.

I'm amazed.

I was thinking about something my sister told me about her favorite band, Nickelback: the lead singer, Chad Kroeger, wrote a lot of songs for his wife, Maryanne. Most girls are lucky to ever have one song written for them in their entire lives...this girls gets about 13 (I think this is what she told me).

I'm listening to another song that was written for a girl, "Layla", by Eric Clapton. (The acoustic version, not the rock version from when he was with Derek and the Dominos. I like the acoustic one better.) It would be nice to have a song written about me...as long as it was a nice song.

no, this is not a perm.

I don't mind people complimenting me on my hair (I'm a natural curly head. Get it from my mommy). But it gets a little bit tiring when people ask me if I have a perm. No, this is not a perm. And then they say, "You're so lucky. Do you like having curly hair?" If I said, "Oh, yes!" then it'd be a lie. So, I answer them truthfully. I say...

"Most of the time."

Since I am a curly head, I go through about one bottle of defrizzing product and one bottle of gel a week. If I had all the money saved up from what I've spent on hair products, I'd be a quadruple millionaire.

lightning crashes

I'm sure that you may have heard of the song "Lightning Crashes". It is by the band Live, and it was released in 1994. I have always loved this song, but never took the time to try and find out why the band wrote this song, or what it meant. So, to wikipedia! I looked it up and it gave me the song's meaning. But before I tell you that, here is the songs' lyrics:

lightning crashes, a new mother cries
her placenta falls to the floor
the angel opens her eyes
the confusion sets in
before the doctor can even close the door

lightning crashes, an old mother dies
her intentions fall to the floor
the angel closes her eyes
the confusion that was hers
belongs now, to the baby down the hall

oh now feel it comin' back again
like a rollin' thunder chasing the wind
forces pullin' from the center of the earth again
I can feel it.

lightning crashes, a new mother cries
this moment she's been waiting for
the angel opens her eyes
pale blue colored iris,
presents the circle
and puts the glory out to hide, hide

Here is the meaning of the song: The band dedicated the song to Barbara Lewis, a friend of the band who had been killed by a drunk driver who was fleeing from the police after a robbery. Barbara had many of her organs donated, and the song lyrics reflect how her death enabled others to continue living. After the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, Ed Kowalczyk would frequently dedicate the song to the victims at live shows.

Each song has a meaning. I challenge you to look up the meaning of your favorite song today.

how many DVDs do you own?

I work at a video store part-time, so this is a question I got to thinking about. How many DVDs do I own, exactly? So, I counted them up. Including my seven seasons of Seinfeld that I own, the totality of my DVD collection comes to 175.

If you figure that on average, I've spent about $15.00 per DVD, the total amount of money I have invested in my DVD collection comes to $2,625.

Wow. I didn't realize it was THAT much! So my question that I pose to you is, how many DVDs do you own? Post the amount you own in the comments link at the end of this thread. Then multiply the amount by 15. You'll be surprised.

I sure was.

rabbit, rabbit.

Happy first of the month.

Remember to say "rabbit, rabbit" to someone and you'll have good luck all month. Bonus luck if it's your birth month (and yes, it is my birth month as a matter of fact. So I'm going to have good luck. Yay!)

idioms "get my goat".

Apparently there is more than 12,000 idioms in the English language. From http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com:

The idiom dictionary is compiled from the Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms and the Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms.

The Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms explains over 7,000 idioms current in British, American and Australian English, helping learners to understand them and use them with confidence. The Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms, based on the 200 million words of American English text in the Cambridge International Corpus, unlocks the meaning of more than 5,000 idiomatic phrases used in contemporary American English. Full-sentence examples show how idioms are really used.

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A professor of mine once mentioned that it was hard for ESL learners to get our American idioms, and I don't blame them. How does "get your goat" translate to being annoyed? How does "getting up on the wrong side of the bed" translate to being cranky?

An idiom that always annoyed me was "add insult to injury." The idiom dictionary defined it as follows:

to make a bad situation even worse for someone by doing something else to upset them.

I wondered if John Mayer had anything to say about idioms in his blog and he did...particularly about the one I just mentioned (I had to dig back to 2006, but it was there):

Here's the only way you should be allowed to incorporate the phrase "to add insult to injury" into a conversation:

"Gary socked me in the nuts with a glove full of coins. And then, to add insult to injury, he called me an asshole."

Yes, there are other ways to incorporate this. But this one actually made sense. (It also made me laugh.)

Apparently there is an album out also titled "Add Insult to Injury". See here.

The things you can find out....

Hellraiser and nailbiting

I've been biting my nails since I was six. Mind, I don't do it to where they're down to the quick, but they are short. I was doing it again today, and I got to thinking where it all stemmed from.

Let's go back to 1988...my mom and dad had rented Hellraiser. I was told I could not watch it and was sent to bed. Well, I was six. And I was curious. So, I snuck down the steps and watched it...right during the scene when Frank was pulled apart with the chains. I freaked out, and was thus discovered.

That was when I started biting my nails.

And Pinhead still scares the crap out of me!

Even if the movie doesn't anymore.

where do all the deleted files go?

Sometimes questions just pop up in my head, and they just keep nagging me until I type the question into Google, look it up, and then I'm satisfied...that is, until the next question comes along. This is something I have always wondered:

Where do deleted files go once you delete them?

So, I looked it up. Here's what I got:

A common misconception is that the data is actually removed from the hard drive (erased) when you delete a file. Any time that a file is deleted on a hard drive, it is not erased. Instead, the tiny bit of information that points to the location of the file on the hard drive is erased. This pointer, along with other pointers for every folder and file on the hard drive, is saved in a section near the beginning of the hard drive and is used by the operating system to compile the directory tree structure. By erasing the pointer file, the actual file becomes invisible to the operating system. Eventually, the hard drive will write new data over the area where the old file is located. (from http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question578.htm)

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So really, all those deleted files are just hiding on our computer somewhere . Interesting. A congregation of rejected files that refuse to die!

The Fajita Staple Idea

Besides me, John Mayer is the most random person that I know (well, I don't know him...I know of him. But if we did know each other, we'd have a big conversation full of randomness...such as what kind of cheese we like). So I am going to make it a point that every time he makes a post in his blog, I am going to reply in response. This will be the regularity on my blog..."Notes to John".

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From John Mayer's blog (http://www.johnmayer.com/blog)

Design and manufacture a staple to help keep fajitas securely wrapped. Call it "The Fajita Staple". Make it strong, perhaps hewn from solid steel. Tangs must be very sharp so as to pierce steak or chicken, or in some cases fish. Can we get it into Rite-Aid by Christmas? (Ask Gary Thaint's people.)

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Here's what I think of when I think of staples (see picture). I say to John: unless you want to rip out peoples' innards, ix-nay the idea. Just deal with having to hold the fajita.

revering celebrities.

What is the big deal about celebrities?

I mean, come on. I happen to lead a very exciting life, albeit I don't have the kind of dough that they have. and yet, even if they walk down the street or eat a hamburger, they end up on the cover of US Weekly or OK! Magazine.

Granted, some use their publicity for good causes. for example, the Live Earth concert to raise money for the fight against global warming. I happen to like planet Earth and I'd prefer not to have to build entire towns on stilts because we pollute our earth to the point of no return.

it's not a lie if you believe it.

The truth about lying:

1. "If you tell the truth, you won't get into trouble." (yeah, right. you tell the truth, you get in trouble. you lie, you get into trouble.)

2. "Always tell the truth." (well, if you always told the truth, then there'd be a lot of hurt feelings.)

3. "Liar, liar, pants on fire." (always have a fire extinguisher handy.)

4. "You sit on a throne of LIES!" (yes. yes I do.)

5. "It's not a lie if YOU believe it." (sound advice from the best liar of them all, George Costanza).