Misc. Musings

It's been a while. RL is still kicking my tail, but hey, at least I know I'm alive. Still working at the job that I'm too tired most nights to have an opinion about any more. Mentally tired that is.

Had a rash of bad luck, you know how everything supposedly happens in threes? Well.... yeah. Back on Good Friday I woke to a pain in my left side. BAD pain. Figured, holiday weekend, just call the doc and she'd call in something figuring it was a kidney or bladder infection. A bunch of tests later including a CAT scan (and not the kind my kitties do every day to me), we have no clue what it was, but fortunately anti-inflammatories have gotten it under control and now it seems to be gone. The silver lining to that is that my hands that hurt constantly because of arthritis, haven't hurt since I started taking the meds.

Sooooo, that was out of the way and Easter Sunday comes along. Went to dad's, had a nice day, a good dinner and watched Marley and Me with him and his wife. That movie's commercials are soooooo misleading. It is NOT a comedy. I expected to laugh. I did and then cried BUCKETS. I hate when that happens.

Anyway, back to my story. Got home, saw wetness coming from my garage. Now the girls (cats) are allowed in the garage sometimes and I was hoping that one of them had skipped the litter box out there..... No. Such. Luck. Deep Freezer .... D.O.A. FULL of meat, prepared meals that I'd made and other misc. food items. All of them, trash. I was devastated. I'd just bought food the day before and stuck it in there. Never noticed that the thing wasn't cold at all. Fan was running, I figured it was fine. Nope. Done.

That's two. The third? My sister has been suffering from OA/RA and some form of inflammatory disease for quite a while now. She went to her new doctor this week and he ordered a lot of tests. She just called. Now they think on top of the rest of it, she's bleeding internally.

The other stuff? It's minor when it's compared to her life. I just want her better. Makes me remember what's really important in life, as if I should need reminding after 3/1/02. Apparently, I did. So my thoughts are with her and the minor pain (compared to what she's been experiencing since last year), inconvenience and lost groceries are just another speed bump on the road of life as compared to what could be another round of surgery for her.

Oh and on a brighter note? Driving home the other day I had the rare opportunity of watching my windshield wiper fly across the bridge. Guess it wasn't on tightly enough. Oh well.

And even brigher???? NINE DAYS till I leave for JAZZ FEST!!!! WOO HOO!!! There is something to look forward to.

HAPPY EASTER!

Between my new job (that I alternately detest and barely tolerate) and trying to keep up with my RL, I haven't been online much. Well, at least not to post anything.

I have been busy writing, not on my FF, but at least I'm writing. And according to my accountant (yes, I have one of those only because of the Avon business) I'm getting a tax refund. I suspect it's miniscule, but hey, it's a refund.

Other than that, there hasn't been much to report.

Three weeks from RIGHT NOW I'll be in NOLA staking out our spots for JazzFest and seeing Bon Jovi live and in the flesh for the cheapest ticket I've ever bought to see them! Forty bucks. Can't beat it. Although, once you add in the hotel, the parking fee for our car, the car rental and the money I'll spend once I'm there......this trip won't be cheap. Partying in the French Quarter..... I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!

Oh and Amber's been updated again.

Los Angeles Times - Toxic Avenger Review

According to the review, the show's official opening is April 6th. In the interview part of it David's quoted as saying that both Jon and Richie are slated to be in attendance for it. So all you NYers, you have homework....BE THERE! LOL

The review gave the show glowing marks and the best part, there was a video clip from the play! It looks amazing.

You can watch it here.

Who's the Hotter Generation?

Gotta love those Google alerts! So first week of work is officially behind me and I checked into my emails, the ones that I didn't open AT the office (all the Google alerts today) and lo and behold the Today Show has a poll going on who's the hottest generation of men. Since Jon's name was on the Google alert, I had to scroll down to check it out.

Of course, there's Brad Pitt against Pete Wentz and Brad's summarily handing Pete his diapers. There's no surprise, who COULD beat Brad as hottest dad? Hold on now, we know WE think that Jon/Richie are hotter, but give me a minute.

Then there's Alan Rickman against Robert Pattinson as the Brooders. I mean, really now, Alan Rickman is a great actor and can scare the pants off you with a look, but hot? He's losing, of course.

Followed by Patrick Dempsey vs Chace Crawford. Okay, so Chace is a cutie, but against McDreamy? They're going for TV Heartthrobs. And yes, McDreamy is winning.

Next is the one that caught my attention and had me inhale sharply. Jon Bon Jovi up against Nick Jonas for The Rockers. Now, with all the hoopla surrounding the Jonas Brothers, I was worried until I voted and then I sighed a huge breath of relief because Jon's kicking the JoBro's little butt as he should.

There's a bunch of other matchups and for the most part the older generation (40+ somethings) is winning in the match ups. You get additional choices that include George Clooney/John Mayer and Denzel Washington/Shia Lebeouf, Tom Cruise/Zac Efron, and even Jon's buddy Matthew McConaughey/Justin Timberlake. Take a look here and vote. For once the good guys are winning. LOL

Amber's updated

Another new chapter for y'all to enjoy.



On a less pleasant note. In my wildest dreams I never would have expected to be doing what I did today on my 4th day of work. And may I preface that now with EEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!!!!

Cockroaches.

My boss and I were visiting some of the properties and we walked into this one vacant suite and the floor was littered with dead cockroaches. Now that was bad enough and as I said to her. 'at least they're dead' But noooooo, there wasn't a broom or a vacuum to sweep them away with, noooooo we had to take papertowels and PICK THEM ALL UP!!!! As I said before EEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!!! That was just NASTY!!! And we're talking two or three DOZEN of the little bastards. *shiver* YUCK.

TGTF!!! Time for a POETS party....if I wasn't so damned tired.

I know, I’ve been MIA

I had good reason for it! First, I had company and then after she left I was busy negotiating my way back to the working world. That finally came to pass and so I started work on Monday. So far, so good. The only downfall at this point is the 46.5 mile round trip. What a way to waste an hour and a half every day.

Oh and then there’s that whole getting up at the butt crack of dawn. Who in HELL willing gets up that early if they don’t have to? I was getting very used to going to bed at 2 or 3 am and getting up in the 10ish or 11 part of the morning. Suited me quite well. This getting up before 7 and being out the door by 8:15 or before is for the birds.... and I just started again. Just so all of you know, if you haven’t already guessed, I HATE mornings. Give me a couple hours without anyone talking to me or expecting me to be human and I’m fine, actually expect coherent conversation before that and you’re screwed.

Anyway, work is good and I’m enjoying it.

.

Now on to more interesting subjects. Like Richie Sambora and David Bryan.

First up is David Bryan. I saw that Big Apple Jovi Girl reviewed the opening nights. You can read that here. Like most of us I get Google alerts on a regular basis, make that as-it-happens, which is going to change to daily.

.

I digress though. A couple days ago, Monday to be exact, I got one with a review of The Toxic Avenger by Arts-America on their blog. Now mind you, they said nothing except GOOD things about the play. I have no objections to that. What I do wonder is how in the world can they go to the play, get the playbill, know anything about David and then put his name in the review as David Byron?!? That's just wrong. Keyboard players don't get enough respect as it is, but come on now guy. Learn the word PROOFREAD!!

.

You can see it for yourself, here .

.
Next on the agenda is Mr. Sambora. Now I have the greatest love and respect for the man, both as a guitar GOD and as one hot piece of sex walking on two legs. And I’m ever so glad that he dumped Denise Richards, as did DWTS last night. So today in said Google I got the following quote, attributed to Richie...... although somehow I doubt seriously the man ever said it. And I quote ““She dances like she fucks, you see,” explained Richie Sambora. “So badly that no one in America wants her back.” Even if I don’t see him ever saying something so crass about his ex-girlfriend, if he did say it, I couldn’t agree more about the dancing part of it. She can. not. dance. Even I can dance better and I admit that I can’t dance. Oh and that quote? It was part of yet another blog. Here.
.

However, who in their right mind voted for Steve Wozniak?????? Or did he have some Apple computers rigged to vote for him millions of times? It makes a person wonder.....

New Look

I got up this morning determined to finish the paperwork for my income tax, so that I could get it off to the accountant and eventually get it done..... before April 15th. Turns out that Tara's blog started me on an entirely different tract.

.

See she had this link that talked about women writing the male POV in fiction. Something that most of us find difficult to do. An article that was most enlightening in many ways. Link is here. Well worth the read if you're a writer of any genre, or as Tara said, 'if you're female'. Thanks, Tara. Always enjoy learning new things to improve my craft.

.

From there it was answering and exchanging emails with the Angel and discussing her upcoming move from the UK to the US, oops, she hasn't actually announced what's going on with her world yet, has she?

.

From there it was deciding it was time to revamp my site. Something I've been terrified to do on my own. I'm a beginner at this stuff, so it took quite some time. And now it's 2:15 pm and I haven't TOUCHED my IRS stuff and now I'm hungry and thinking about lunch or dinner or hmmm, are those dust bunnies under my desk.

.

Here I go off to procrastinate some more.....

.

By the way, procrastination is a word I learned at an early age. It was written in the comments section of my Fifth Grade report card "D does excellent work, however, she has a tendency to procrastinate". You'd think I would have learned by now NOT to do that. Sadly, I haven't.

WOW! It’s been a while since I’ve updated here I guess. Hmm, I’ve been a little busy, I guess. I had company from Scotland.....what little I saw of her (MUAH, Angel). Still we got to go do SHEEEEEIKKRRRRAAAAAA...... 200 feet up and 90 degrees straight down. Had some of the worst sushi ever at a place that was highly recommended. Sorry, Trace. And then we went to the beach for the day and I must ramble here a bit about that.

Beaches in Florida are usually occupied by two kinds of people. Gorgeously tanned, toned and beautiful young men and women that make you feel like a beached whale when you’re only slightly (or a little more than slightly) ‘fluffy’. And then there are the snow white tourists that turn a bright pink within a day of having arrived in our sunny state because they’re used to being in the sun ‘up north’ and never use sunscreen. We’re closer to the equator down here people. The sun is closer and therefore more dangerous than up there. Sheesh. So being the typical Floridian (hush) that I am, I went to the beach wearing shorts and a t-shirt. It was only in the high 70’s, so far too cool for me to wear a bathing suit (even though I own two I hate both of them and rarely wear them anyway). The Angel was in her pinkini.....tiny scraps of material if I ever saw them and is one of the aforementioned toned and beautiful people.

We get to the beach, which, by the way is at Fort DeSoto Park and I’m stunned. There are maybe a handful of beautiful people and a beach FULL of tourists. Not the families that I expected for early spring break, nor the middle aged couples that do likewise. No. The beach is packed with RETIREES!!!! Snowbirds, if you will. HUNDREDS of them (okay, dozens). Imagine Don Rickles or Ed McMahon in a bathing suit. For that matter imagine your own grandmother or great grandmother in one. Yards and yards of arm wings, fat bellies and brightly colored bathing suits that were blinding. I could have worn a suit and looked like one of the normal people because I’d never have stood out in that crowd.

It was a fun day and I even managed to get my toes in the water, but it was far too cold to get further in than that. The Angel, however, went swimming. She thought it was warm. Me? I instantly understood why those two NFL players succumbed to hypothermia so quickly along with the USF football player. How the one guy survived is beyond me. I would have died in the first couple hours. It was DAMN COLD!!!!!

Now it’s back to real life. Brake job this afternoon and then I need to get the HVAC people here to do my system checkup. Turned the air back on last night after nearly a month of having the system off and windows open. Summer is fast approaching in the south.

Universal Studios - Hard Rock and Pat Benatar

It's been a busy week in my world. Last Saturday I was off to Orlando and Universal Studios for their Mardi Gras celebration and the Pat Benatar show. We had fun at the park, although we didn't ride nearly as many of the rides as intended, but it didn't matter. We had a really special treat when we left the park briefly to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe that adjoins it. The last time I was at the HRC in Orlando they had exactly ONE piece of Jovi memoribilia. ONE. It was a guitar hung high over one of the tables. This time I asked if they had any Jovi stuff and our hostess waved over at an empty table that had Richie's shirt hanging over it. I, of course, asked if we could sit there. We did. Sooooo, I had lunch/dinner sitting under Richie's shirt..... only wish that Richie had been there in it. ;) One of his guitars was hanging over the adjoining table and there were a couple of pictures and a platinum record for Slippery When Wet hanging there too (note that it was for the CASSETTE!!!!)

After we ate and had chatted with the waitress at length, she had one of their tour guides come over and he gave us the special private tour of the Lennon room. It's not a well known part of the HRC over there, but if you ever get the opportunity it's a VERY cool room. Especially if you like the Beatles. The room is done completely in white. Inside it are some of John's original lithographs, pictures from his house and this one piece of furniture that they claim he used to sit in and write from. Said that it moved with him from house to house and that he wrote a part of every Beatles song from it. Can't verify it, but it is roped off so nobody sits on it..... made him look away so I could.... and I did. :D

John's couch that he wrote a lot of the Beatles music on (his songs)

The Two Virgins album cover that was banned in the US

His white tuxedo that he married Yoko in.

Then we wandered back to Universal and sat on their artificial grass until Pat Benatar came out two hours later and rocked. She really rocked. I'm not a huge Benatar fan, so I can't tell you everything she played, but she obviously did her hits and one song that she said they don't play often off their second record. She really got into Hell is for Children and made me shiver at the way she talked about child abuse. Made it seem that for her it was very personal. They did one song with her and Neil sitting on stools, very ballady version of We Belong. Don't have a clue what it was. Sorry, I really am not that big of a fan, but Christine is and she sang along with every song. I took pictures, but they suck. So I went looking and found a couple good videos that others took that night. And even those aren't that great. For some reason on mine there's no audio to them. Just another reason to get back to work and buy a new camera.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN FRANCIS BONGIOVI, JR.

In honor of the 47th birthday of the HOTTEST rock god on the planet, I decided to post some of my favorite pictures of him. Anyone that knows me that when he's scruffy I'm TOAST.



And there's nothing I'd love to do more than explore that beautiful V to see where it leads......



or to have him croon to me while holding me as he is this mic.


Ahhh, but then there his philanthropic side and the Signature 26 series t-shirts and pins.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JON! I hope you had a wonderful day spent with your family and friends.

I remember.....

Charles ‘Corky’ William Elyard, III – Jan. 16, 1955 – March 1, 2002

He was a good man. It’s been seven years and I still love him, still miss him, wish he was here to share my life and wonder why he had to be taken so young. We had plans for the future, near and distant. None of those will ever be fulfilled. We were going to grow old together, we laughed about us being that couple the Beatles sang about... ‘will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64’. That was not in the cards.

I remember the first time I laid eyes on him and told my girlfriend that I thought I’d end up married to him, that was over the July 4th holiday. I didn’t meet him that day. No, that was on July 16th. My friend and I had sworn off men, were getting drunk and disparaging every single one of them, except her boyfriend that was living in California. Then she called Corky over to her place to eat the cookies we baked, played strip poker and I lost every hand, but wouldn’t take off my clothes. We ended up in his apartment playing backgammon and from there we became inseparable.

I remember the first time he called Bon Jovi ‘blow job’ and swore that they couldn’t sing or play their instruments and how hard I defended them. I remember him refusing to take me to see them play softball against the local dj’s. And I remember when I finally did see them in ’93, him getting up after I got home in tears because someone had gotten mustard on my brand new t-shirt. He stayed up with me and helped get the stain out.

I remember when he was stabbed and didn’t want me to go to the hospital because it was ‘no big deal’ and I remember even clearer the call from his boss when he got hurt at work and wanted me there. Seeing him with his arm laid wide open and him apologizing for me having to take off work. I also recall the Hepatitis C that he got from that wound and how hard the battle was fought to win against it. And he did. Five years of pills and treatments and he beat it.

We did everything together. If I wanted to do something and he didn’t, we’d compromise. Sometimes we’d do it and others not. Same with what he wanted. We came as a team. For 25 years my name and his were joined at the hip CorkyandDiane. It’s how we were identified. When he died and I went to a friend’s tattoo parlor to tell him because I knew he wouldn’t know, the manager called him and told him Diane was there. He didn’t know me until I told the guy say ‘CorkyandDiane’ and he knew.

I’ll never forget the flowers showing up at work just to say he loved me and I’d be hard pressed to forget my 40th birthday. Who was that guy? He took the secret to his grave as he said he would. The romantic Christmas gifts, three boxes of tissues, a bag of micro popcorn and the final one, the movie Ghost. Or the alabaster box that was handpainted on top with the heart shaped watch pendant necklace inside. He could be as romantic as they come.

Or the fights. I remember them vividly. How loud and hurtful the words could be on both sides. A pair of tempers that couldn’t back down or hold back their anger. Oh yes, I remember those and I remember making up. The sweetest part of an argument is the making up. Yeah, sometimes it’d be worth it just for that. There were other fights, other arguments that weren’t worth it.

But in the end, his short terrible battle with pancreatic cancer was lost and he said to me, “we had 25 good years, that was enough.” Two days later he was gone and I still remember and I still miss him.

Rest in Peace, My Love, Rest In Peace

JBJ & Friends - MC/Hyatt Show at the Starland

The night after the Fan Club show at the Starland Ballroom, Jon and Friends did a private show for the winners of the Roots of Rock contest that MasterCard held, that were joined by guests from the Hyatt. It is my understanding that the Hyatt guests were people that had Hyatt Gold (Platinum?) Rewards cards that were offered the opportunity. From what I've read they pretty much did the same show and Jon wore close to the same outfit as the night before - trading out the long sleeved Henley for a short sleeved baggy t-shirt.

And if I'd continued reading, I would have seen the setlist for the show Tuesday night. Yovana on BS posted this picture of the setlist.

Head Over Heels - video by BonJoviLove

Don't Leave Me Tonight - video by BonJoviLove

Just Older - video by Dance914


All I Want is Everything - video by BonJoviLove

Video from the JBJ and Friends show

THIS song, OMG, I heard it clearly on the phone and it sounded fantastic on the phone, but here.....*shiver* this is even better. Thanks to Deb308 for posting this incredible video on youtube. I'm still making my way through all of the awesome videos posted from last night. I may still not be thrilled with the way the fan club has been run, but I really wish I'd been there last night. Ah well, financially I couldn't have managed it.

Again, Deb308 THANK YOU for giving me the chance to see what I missed last night....



And Billy Get Your Guns....

JBJ & Friends Fan Club Show

Okay, I've spoken with Stas, who was at the show and called me so I could listen to it. The listing from Runaway to the end were the songs that the girls on BS and I (the ones that got calls) could decipher and heard. Most of us had sketchy reception and one person (Lisa) was getting TMs. So here's the setlist and I am forever grateful that Stas gave me a call and I got to hear the majority of it. Thank you my friend and with luck you won't be working on May 2nd and I can return the favor from JazzFest!

.

Show started at 6:45 pm

.

.

- real first song - Rock n Roll Star by the Byrds

- real second song - This Time it's for Real by SSJ

1) Runaway - when introducing this song he said 'welcome to my hometown'

2) I Get a Rush

3) Garageland

4) Lost Highway

5) Don't Leave Me Tonight...'a power station bootleg'...Jon laughed

6) Head Over Heels... 'another old, old, old one'

7) Midnight in Chelsea...'I'm getting too hot up there. In 1996-97 I was in London'

8) Janie Don't Take Your Love To Town...said something about 'being on tour in 96, sitting in a hotel room'

9) Every Word is a Piece of my Heart

10) Without Your Love...Southside Jonny was reported to be there but was NOT

11) Whole Lot of Lonely...crystal clear thought it was acapello, but wasn't

12) Bang A Drum

13) Never Say Die

14) Billy Get Your Guns

15) Someday I'll be Saturday Night...someone yelled Happy Birthday and they started singing part of the song....Jon said 'I used to be young and good looking and now I'm just' and everyone said ....STILL good looking

16) Wanted

.

.

Then Jon said what was coming... "20 songs into album....roooooock. will be an album by end of yr...might not be new album...riff rock record" That's what he replied to the current ALBUM they are recording. Doesn't know if the greatest hits is coming out first or the new album, plus MSG, Central Park and this CD!!!

.

.

17) I Love This Town

18-- Just Older (this hits the 2 hour mark)

19) Living On A Prayer

20) Who Says You Can't Go Home!!!!!!! ...perfect ending to a show in JON'S hometown!!!

.

.

White shirt, Henley style and she believes he had on Jeans. Looked F*ckin HOT!!!! Sheri Black Velvet was there and Jon was teasing with her. The gift bags had a 2009 Calendar in them, along with a Lost Highway tour book and a scarf that was specially made with the date of this show on it.

A week?

It's been that long since I've posted here? WOW. Today I'm officially in jealous mode. Why you might ask? Most of you know why. It's because a good number of my friends are currently in Jersey and at the Starland Ballroom parking lot waiting to get in to a 7 pm Fan Club (and friends) only show. And where am I? Florida. Why? Broke, unemployed and a number of other relevant reasons that have to do with the FC management by Jon's baby brother Matt and how I personally feel about said management, or more accurately, mis-management. Doesn't stop me from being jealous of my friends that are currently going crazy as they drive to the venue and get a very very special show by our favorite front man.

Sigh....... I just hope someone gives me a call so I can hear part of the show.


Otherwise, my allergies and I have been arguing fiercely. Not that anyone cares. I have company coming and of all the times to choose to go through the boxes in my guest room closet, it's now and there is significant mold/mildew in the boxes of OLD stuff. I'm allergic and now my allergies are reminding me of that.

Still job hunting, interviewed for a job that I absolutely could NOT do and told them so after I heard the description. For what they're paying I don't know that anyone could do it. So still looking and still hoping I'll find something. Soon. Boredom sucks.

It's a GOOD DAY Tampa Bay! (and the world)

Okay, I've been MIA for the last few days. Had a bit of trouble with my allergies over the weekend, but they seem to be better.

Remember the car washing of last week? I don't know why I bothered. This time of year in Florida EVERYFREAKINGTHING is blooming and especially the oak trees. There's a huge one in my front yard. Beautiful really. Although right now it is COVERED in the dangly things that are its blooms and are full of pollen. Sooooo after spending the better part of the afternoon washing, waxing and detailing my car, the next morning it was yellow with pollen. Looked as if I ever touched it. Oh BOTHER! Anyway, it's even worse now. Guess I'll have to drive it to the car wash on the way to my JOB INTERVIEW tomorrow!!!!

WOO HOO!!! It may come of nothing, but at least I FINALLY have my first interview. Now if I can just get in touch with my nail tech that I was supposed to see last night and get my nails beautified before then, I'll be in business.

Anyway, another chapter of Amber is finally up and I'm doing a HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY DANCE!

Boredom and that doppelganger strikes again

Can I just say once again that unemployment sucks? Okay, that out of the way, just a couple things on my mind.

First, Amber’s been updated and I added Angel’s birthday biscuit to Muse’s Minis. Go enjoy and I’ll be back here waiting. Oh and comment on either or both if you would, please? I’m getting a bit of a complex since nobody’s commented at all. *sniff, sniff*

Second, it’s amazing what a person will end up doing when they have excess time on their hands. Well, other than staying up half the night (or more) and sleeping in almost until lunch. Hmmm, maybe I should apply for that switchboard operator job that’s from 11 pm to 7 am..... Anyway, other than blasting my music as loud as I want because nobody’s home in the neighborhood..... other than the guy that had the balls to drive into my neighbor’s driveway and steal her Wii while I was right here at the computer. Hey, I’d seen the truck in her driveway before. How was I to know what he was doing there? The point that I’m getting to is that boredom causes me to do strange things. Well, stranger than normal.

Remember the doppelganger incident? That’s a case in point. Then there was Monday. My office was looking cluttered. It normally does, but it was bugging me. So the three boxes of papers were sorted and put away. The stacks of books that have been sitting haphazardly on the shelves bugged me too. They got separated by Fiction / Non-Fiction / Reference / photo albums and then the non-fiction were organized by subject. The fiction? Alphabetized and then arranged by series and in chronological order. Yes, the OCD anal nutcase came out. That wasn’t enough, oh no, after that came opening a drawer that was in fairly sensible order and rearranging that. Fortunately for my office, my yard guy showed up.

Yard guy? I’m unemployed. I should do it myself, right? Wrong. That requires yard tools that I sold some time ago. Anyway, he’s doing it for me for free until I’m back on my feet again and it’s not like I have a big yard. Soooooo, why did that save my office? You’re going to laugh; I know I would have if I didn’t hurt afterwards. I borrowed his leaf blower. My front yard has a landscaped area that’s covered in creeping jasmine – non-blooming – and it was full of leaves. Florida, remember? This is the time of year the leaves all fall and the oak trees are full of pollen and my allergies go insane. I blew all the leaves (those that weren’t matted down already) onto the driveway. Just the ones from the landscaped area and around the bushes. That filled my mini-dumpster (that I crawled into and did that Lucy grape stomping thing to pack them down) and two additional bags. I haven’t even thought about the ones he was blowing off my back patio area. Any sane person would have quit there, but noooooo not yours truly. Nope, I had to start in on the kitchen and begin organizing there too. Not to mention cooking a healthy meal before my two mile walk.

Yesterday’s boredom was assuaged in the form of washing, waxing and detailing my car. This morning it was covered in said oak tree pollen and looked exactly as it had before I washed it the previous day. So much for ambition.

Today wasn’t so boring. I was busy. Wandered up to Clearwater to visit a couple people, including my dad, but before that, Ms. Angel sent me a video clip and said that JBJ would LOVE me ...... guess she meant my affinity for the F word..... enjoy.... I did.

Bon Jovi Playing the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

Yeah, I know, it's all over the web. I don't care! I couldn't afford, nor was I going to support Matt's stupid expensive pricing for the FC show in New Jersey. I'm unemployed, it'd be crazy for me to spend money I don't have and besides it's FEBRUARY in New Jersey. No. Thank. You. Never mind the rumors that Jon's wingman might show up, which would make it more enticing to yours truly. Still. Not going and have been depressed at the fact so many of my friends ARE going and I'm not that the news that Bon Jovi, not just Jon, are playing the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival made my heart skip a beat.


WOO HOO!!!! Their website http://www.nojazzfest.com/zzfest.com/ has all the details. A one day ticket (and Jovi are schedule for May 2nd - it's a Saturday) is ONLY $40 and there are a ton of bands playing all over the festival grounds that day as well. I'm STOKED. Yeah, well, I'm still unemployed. Still worried about finding one of those elusive jobs in this economy, but I'm going anyway.

I have a traveling buddy that owes me for Lightning/Pens tix and now she'll buy the Jazz Fest tix and we'll drive up there. Hey, ten hours to New Orleans as opposed to the overnight, non-stop, crazy long drive to Bristol for the NASCAR race last year is a cinch. Okay, I am certifiable, but that's just me and anyone that knows me already knows that.

I thought I lived in FLORIDA?????

I know y'all think that having weather this time of year in the 30's is the definition of balmy. For me and those of us that are used to the sunny south and especially the weather that goes with living in Florida, it's FREAKING COLD tonight!!!!

The greenhouse is sealed up. The neighborhood is covered in blanket, sheets and every other variety of cloth covering on tender plants that exists. I've used masking tape on my doors to seal the gaps that I usually ignore and sealed off my mailslot. Despite all that, just because I know how cold it is outside.....and the thermostat is set where it always is, mentally I'm cold in the house!!!

All I can say about this is that....I think I'm moving south. It's too COLD here! Stay tuned for my weather whine come mid-summer when it's nearing 100 with 98 % humidity. LOL

Oh and Amber's updated.

Have a great evening and stay warm.

Soul Foundation Dinner Cancelled

Following is the letter that the attendees that had paid $1000 each to have dinner with Jon Bon Jovi and the Philly Soul players received today. This event is the latest in a list of events that have been cancelled in and around the Philadelphia Soul's Arena Football Championship and the new AFL season that was also cancelled. All that remains of the week of events, parties and concerts is the MasterCard show that the Fan Club piggybacked onto and was at first billed as a Bon Jovi show that turned into a JBJ & Friends show. This Muse is wondering how all of this will translate into record sales and concert tickets when the next CD and tour comes around. I will reserve judgment until that time comes around. Meanwhile, those of you that are going to the show, read the piece to the right.



Dear Hard Rock Event Attendee:

Due to a number of circumstances beyond our control the event planned for February 26th is being cancelled.

After e-mailing you all concerning the plans for the event - it was brought to our attention that the format we proposed would not satisfy promises made to you. So as not to further disappoint our many fans, it is necessary to cancel the event and refund all those who paid to attend.

Every single customer will be refunded in full for the tickets they purchased. This process has begun and we will have the checks mailed out to you within a week. As with the recently issued season ticket refunds, all refunds regardless of method of payment will be refunded by check.

There have been a number of people who have transferred their tickets to other people. If you have transferred your tickets to another individual please notify us as to the proper person to be refunded along with a current address.

If you are not a Soul season ticket holder, please respond to this email with your full mailing address and contact information so that we can send your refund out to you.

We apologize about the cancellation and any inconvenience it may bring you. Thank you for your continued support and patience.

Philadelphia Soul