The Risks Of Tanning

"Hey, I have an idea. Let's go lie in the sun for awhile". That's what I imagine the conversation may have started out like between these two girls who probably ended up regretting their decision to try to catch some rays. Read what happened here. (Wonder if they got burned in the process, too).

Moonlighting

Remember when Bruce Willis had hair and Cybil Shepherd was the epitome of classic 80s fashion?

'Moonlighting' featured one of the best actor/actress pair-ups of all time.  Maddie Hayes and David Addison kept me laughing and coming back for more every week.  They sure don't write 'em like that anymore. Click on the player below to hear the theme from 'Moonlighting' sung by Al Jarreau.

Screw That One In

One of the strangest (and biggest) light bulbs I have ever seen. I found it in a drawer at work.  (I think it's for a parking lot light). 

Yellow Pollen

It's no wonder I don't feel quite up to speed these last couple of weeks...look at how much pollen has collected around the puddles on the pool cover.  This has been an extremely strange spring with the weather patterns and the pollen counts have been excessively high.  Bummer for me...

This is a "word cloud" I made using some of the recent posts from this blog.  I think it's pretty cool how this works. If you'd like to try, go here. It will give you different options for creating your own.

45 Pines

The backyard at 45 Pines is so relaxing and beautiful (and the dog is kinda cute, too)!

Ain't That The Truth

They're Everywhere

The three maples that line the front yard decided to let go of their seeds all at the same time.

What A Mess

I took on the adventure of cleaning the garage.  Unfortunately, this is a way bigger task than originally planned (stuff like this always is).  The garage used to be used as a wood working shop years ago before the big shop was built.  The garage was cleaned after all the tools were moved out, but I guess nobody moved stuff away from the walls to shop vac.  This is what I found when I did move stuff yesterday.  If you look underneath the mostly sawdust-free gray area of the wall, you will see a square strip of very compacted sawdust. It was so tightly packed together from all the years of being squashed between some boards and the wall, it was kinda tough to suck up the hose of the shop vac. I did get a lot of satisfaction breaking it up and getting it out of there - like I was ridding myself of some giant worm...I'm weird that way. 

Morning Coffee

Thank God someone loves me enough to make me my morning coffee for work while I get ready in the morning!! You're the best!!!

Goodness of Humanity

I watched a video last night of an autistic man singing the National Anthem on Disability Awareness Day at Fenway Park. He starts to struggle, but what happens next is heart-warming.

Watch here.

Holograms

Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella




Rapper Tupac Shakur during Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre's headlining set at the Coachella Music Festival Sunday night.







I think the technology that allows this kind of "performance" is truly amazing and quite startling; however, it's kind of unsettling, too. Knowing someone is dead and gone and yet can "appear" in full form to perform "live" (Shakur died in 1996) is like seeing that person ressurected from the dead. It seems somewhat disrespectful to family members also.

The first time I saw this type of digital performance was during American Idol when Celine Dion sang with Elvis live. Some of the words I used to define what I saw would be spectacular, jaw-dropping, really cool and bizarre. But since we all know Elvis is still alive, it didn't seem quite as unnerving. Ha! Just joking! :)

Michael Blanchard

The obituary below appeared in the Denver Post on Apr. 12. It has sparked a lot of comments on the Post's facebook page which linked to the obituary and some Twitter commenters deemed it the "best obit ever". I found it to be humorous and very bold.



Obituary or Memoriam

Michael "Flathead" Blanchard
1944 - 2012

A Celebration of the life of Michael "Flathead" Blanchard will be held on April 14th, 3 pm 8160 Rosemary St, Commerce City. Weary of reading obituaries noting someone's courageous battle with death, Mike wanted it known that he died as a result of being stubborn, refusing to follow doctors' orders and raising hell for more than six decades. He enjoyed booze, guns, cars and younger women until the day he died. Mike was born July 1944 in Colorado to Clyde and Ethel Blanchard. A community activist, he is noted for saving the Dr. Justina Ford house from demolition and defending those who could not defend themselves. He was a Republican delegate, life member of the NRA, founder and President of the Dead Cats MC. He loved music.Mike was preceded in death by Clyde and Ethel Blanchard, survived by his beloved sons Mike and Chopper, former wife Jane Transue, brother Stephen Blanchard (Susan), Uncle Don and Aunt Cynthia Blanchard (his favorite); Uncle Dill and Aunt Dot, cousins and nephews, Baba Yaga can kiss his butt. So many of his childhood friends that weren't killed in Vietnam went on to become criminals, prostitutes and/or Democrats. He asks that you stop by and re-tell the stories he can no longer tell. As the Celebration will contain Adult material we respectfully ask that no children under the age of 18 attend.

Published in Denver Post on April 12, 2012

Sunday Humor

Small, Yet Very Crunchy

This is a happy tooth...I don't have any of those in my mouth and haven't had since my early 20s. I was eating a pita chip a couple of nights ago and broke a small piece of tooth off that already has a huge filling in it. (Ate the piece of tooth, too...yuck)! Anyway, I got into the dentist first thing this morning so they could at least patch it to keep it from breaking more. I had no pain and no bothersome rubbing of the tongue against sharp edges. After they patched it, they explained that the chipped tooth and the tooth behind that will need crowns and another tooth needs a filling. Say what?!!! I really expected to hear that about the crapped out tooth, but no more than that. Grand total for all this dental work will be $2700 and guess who didn't sign up for dental insurance this year...I am such a dumbass!!!!!

Charles Manson

(AP Photos/California Department of Corrections, File)

It is with no great suprise to find out that Manson was denied parole for the 12th time. I remember reading a book when I was in junior high about Manson and his "family" and all the horrible events he orchestrated. I was horrified and yet intrigued at the same time. Minds such as Charles Manson, Jim Jones, David Koresh, Adolf Hitler and the assorted cult leaders that have grazed the headlines over the last few decades have such an overwhelming ability of persuasion and influence over others that blows my mind...what a high it must be to have a group (large or small) of people "follow" actions and beliefs that the vast majority of human beings would find totally abnormal and insane...to have the power to convince others that what you believe is absolute and righteous! I often think of these people as ingenious and as psycopathic as they come. The ability to prey on the fears of others and manipulate thoughts and actions must feel God-like. That driving force of evil these master manipulators seem to possess is one that is foreign to me, but yet fascinates me nonetheless. I am glad Manson will never get out of prison. In this modern world of injustice, this at least seems correct and just. And for the record, I think he got off easy.

Teeny Tiny

I'm not sure what this is, but I am sure that I want one.

Lexi's 7th Birthday Party

The thing about being so far away from family is missing them and the special days in their lives. I wish we could have been there for the festivities.

Happy Easter

Gazing Balls

I found these in my grandmother's garage after she passed away...they were filthy and all gummed up with caulk and shoved in a box.  I had actually forgotten all about them until just a few days ago when they were discovered in the shed.  I cleaned them up and put them on the porch.  I think they're very cute and a nice rememberance of a wonderful woman.

Done

I finally finished my book. It took me four years to get it done, but I did it! I carted it around lots of places (hence the condition of the cover), but couldn't manage to get more than just a few pages read each time I would pick it up. It really was a good story and I'm excited to start another book. I'll check back with you on that one in a few years. :)

Tulips

I took some pics of some tulips picked from the flower bed and used some neat camera effects to change the look...this is some of what I came up with. I think the contrasts on some are pretty cool!