The Woo Woo Lounge

Precious Cargo :(

2010-02-04T16:16:00.002-05:00

Today Tai Shan, the Panda born to the National Zoo in Washingon, D.C. left for China this morning.

Here is the departure video.

I don't know why I'm emotional about it. Perhaps its because my momma liked pandas so much.

Have a safe trip Tai and we will miss you.

Ronnie--What A Guy!

2009-10-14T09:43:00.001-04:00

This is an audio from Reagan in 1961, speaking out against socialized medicine.

I encourage you to share this with friends and family to explain why socialized medicine endangers our freedoms.

Ronald Reagan Speaks Out

The Whiner In Chief??

2009-10-14T09:35:00.002-04:00

You betcha!

Quote of the Day....

2009-10-13T11:55:00.000-04:00

'If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.' -Mark Twain

A response to Mr. Anonymous...

2009-10-13T09:41:00.002-04:00

I thought I should blog the rest of my response from an anonymous commenter from a post I made a few weeks ago.

Part 2 of my response to you SCC:

First of all you give the terrorists the luxury by giving them title of being called a Muslim. By doing that, you are comparing them to those Muslims who are peace loving. That's a sham and despicable. Call them what they are. Terrorists. Secondly, if the ad is to make me think that by us not torturing Muslims anymore, that it gives them less amunition and propaganda to create more terrorists...please stop the insanity. For decades they have been creating extremist terrorists without us ever torturing terrorists. If you really believe that by erraticating tourture, globally, that it will be like spraying magic dust and suddenly make them stop creating propaganda against us and not wanting us dead, then you are living in a sorry, f-ed up dream world my dear.

Also if us torturing terrorists to gain information that could save people here in the U.S. is a frowned upon method by the bleeding hearts, then I'm open to hear from you and others what is a better option. That better option wouldn't include appeasing and thinking that sitting across a table from them and negotiating is going to get those mad men in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran to cease to wish the Big Satan and Little Satans of the world dead at any cost.

Also, if the schools are going to now start teaching the little children that Christopher Columbus was a raper and pillager, are they also going to teach how the Al Queada (sp?) and Taliban do the same to its own people...especially women, who are victims of honor killings and young children who are forced to join in their fight whether they want to or not (cue Kite Runner). Oh but wait, that wouldn't be politically correct. Please. Its insane.

People like you need to pull your head out of rear-end and understand that the terrorists using the excuse of us torturing terrorists as their only means of attacking us is ridiculous. If we never ever tortured terrorists, they still would find some warped reason for wanting us dead. Would that mean they'd stop torturing our prisoners. Tell that to Daniel Pearl's family. So the claim of the AZAZZ is pointless because what they're trying to say is that we're the bad guys here. Sorry, not going to buy into that load of manure.

Also what I meant by heads up their asses, were people who didn't give a rat's behind what was going on around them. They're so self centered, so narcissistic and all about them, that they aren't paying attention to the signs. They neither offended or unoffended. They are c.l.u.e.l.e.s.s. Living in a dream world that drinking the kool-aid provides them. They think Obama is the almighty. That he's going to rise them out of poverty and he's going to someday be King of the World!! Not bloody likely.

Like the idiots standing in line in Detroit to get stimulus money. I heard them say they were getting this money from Obama...that's why they voted for him and when asked where the money was coming from, they were like Obama...but then when asked where Obama was getting it...they didn't have a clue.

So you see what the government has created? A society of people who have been dumbed down and made to feel that there's no hope for them unless they have their hand out...like the good government tells them to do.

The government doesn't want intelligent people walking around. They don't want people watching Fox News because they know they'll get wise to what's going on and revolt. Until Miss Anita Dunn and the rest of those jumping on the bash Fox News bandwagon can prove them wrong and go on their show and tell them what they're saying is wrong, then fine, do it, but if you can't do anything but criticize without reason, other than thinking they're the right arm of the GOP....take a hike.

If you and others are going to think that Fox is a product of the GOP, Conservative movement, then you can't possibly stand there with a straight face and tell me that CNN, MSNBC, network news and Frontline and PBS related programs aren't a left arm of the socialistic movement, then you need to get a grip. Open your eyes.

Yes, but you keep thinking your compassion is so much grander than others. Keep thinking you got an education, when in reality what you received was an indoctrination, from many Jameson induced happy hours with your professors.

Also, if you care to comment on my blog ever again, please don't be a coward and use your real name.

Quote of the day...

2009-10-11T19:32:00.002-04:00

"There's nothing more pathetic than an intellectual fool..."

Mark Twain

WTF?? A Murderer Being Used In An Ad Campaign??

2009-09-29T15:00:00.004-04:00

Last week, as I was heading to the metro to go home for the day, I noticed these huge banner like ads hanging all inside the Farragut Metro station, above the platforms. They are ads by AVAAZ.org, criticizing the Bush/Cheney administration for torturing various terrorists. I wouldn't mind the ads if wasn't for the freaking larger than life pictures of Osama Bin Laden wearing a freaking t-shirt that says 'I 'heart' Gitmo'. It is truly repugnant and offensive. I wrote to the public affairs department at Metro, exclaiming my disgust at these ads. Not only do I have to see it in the morning, but in the evening when headed home for the day. I'm sure I was the only one who really was offended because most people these days have their heads so far up their ass, they don't know what time of day it is. But I mean, come on...how could you not see the ads and be not be offended that AZAAZ.org is using a murderer as a focus to their ad campaign??

Since Obama has taken office, I've slowly grown more and more increasingly pissed off at the direction our country seems to be taking. These ads compelled me to use my voice to express my outrage and contempt for those who think we should be appeasing and apologizing to those who helped plan the massacre on our country eight years ago.

For the last several days I've had to look at those ads as i enter and exit the station and the anger built up until I just couldn't hold it in any longer, so today I contacted Michelle Malkin and the public affairs office at Metro. I hope that some national coverage of some kind is mentioned.

As if Metro doesn't have enough issues with a piss poor manager and a severe decline in employee morale, you want to offend your patrons and riders as well?? Knowing what that man did to our country 8 years ago and then hanging his deplorable image in a larger than life display?? Truly and utterly repugnant.

Metro has sunk to a new low. This country understands that torture isn't always the answer, but when you consider what people like Daniel Pearl went through, and he was innocent, as opposed to those who planned and participated in a massacre that forever changed this nation, to be tortured as a means to prevent future massacres, sometimes peace through strength is the only option we have, rather than continuously appeasing and apologizing. Because if the people of this country believe that THAT will change their minds, are gullible and naive.

Quiet weekend...

2009-08-31T10:57:00.004-04:00

Ended up being a quiet weekend. Felt kind of bummed w/ not getting cast in a show. Second one in a row I've auditioned for and didn't get cast. Its tough, even in community theater not to get cast. Now I understand why actors consult w/ therapists so much. Even if you believe you're good, and not getting cast doesn't mean you aren't, it still affects your mind and conficence level. I feel like I've entered that area of casting where I'm not young nor am I old enough to play certain roles which are primarily for those age groups.

Now I need to focus on directing a one act. Need to see if I can find 2 people who would like to do it. Still trying to get motivated to direct it. We'll see how it goes.

Ended up sticking around close to home this weekend. Previous plans got nixed. Tried to purge old files and things that were ready to be thrown out. Made a quick stop over at the Wheaton Library and dropped off 3 big bags of books to the used book store. Went through a cubby closet and threw out old articles that I didn't want anymore. Tried to organize and throw out old warranties to products that I now longer have. Need to figure out how to reconfigure the organization in that closet. Its roomy and just needs to be re-designed. I also want to get a nice book case from Ikea soon. Once I get some of the books out of that room, I can restructure it for things that need placement in there, that are currently hanging around in other spots in my house.

Another big project for the future will be going through the clothes closet in the living/bedroom. I know I have things in there that need purging too.

Anyhow, I felt like I made good dent in purging old stuff.

My new laptop arrives next week. Looking forward to that. Want to get it hooked up to the printer for printing and scanning this time. Mirror everything from the desktop onto the laptop. Also want to remove the hard drive, if its still working, from the old laptop and create and external hard drive from it.

Watched 2 good movies this weekend. Sweeny Todd and Mr. Deeds Comes To Town. Both really good movies. Nice when you spend a few hours watching movies that are satisfying.

Ok, that's it for now. As for the dieting an exercising...slooooooooooow going. With summer ending and fall beginning soon, I hope it doesn't wreck me and provide excuses not to keep going :(

Have a great week everyone!!

T--

Stars On The Water – Richmond – August 21st -23rd

2009-08-24T14:36:00.002-04:00

“Life in the laid back lane”….Sunny Jim White

Cloudy skies, high winds and pouring rain couldn’t come close to putting a damper on the Stars On The Water party in Richmond this weekend.

I attended my first ever annual SOTW party this weekend. A few good friends who I see at the beach every year invited me to join them for a weekend of fun and laughs. I had no idea what to expect. I knew it would definitely be fun, but I didn’t expect to have such a positive reaction to the artists and their music throughout the weekend.

For those who don’t know about SOTW, it is an annual event that takes place in Richmond every August. The Richmond Parrothead Club is among the organizers and they do a fabulous job! Parrotheads are long time Jimmy Buffett enthusiasts. Parrotheads visit from all over the country to attend the party. They’ve been meeting for 15 years. It is definitely a laid back environment. People bring their loud, colorful shirts and shorts, their pets and relaxing vibes. I think there were about 300 people who attended this year. They had raffles for fabulous prizes, which benefited a variety of charities the Parrothead groups are involved with. Among the prizes were very creative theme gift baskets. One was a marguerita basket, a breakfast basket, flamingo basket, and a couple drink makers (hot items!!) Typically the event takes place outside, and the property at the hotel is perfect for such a venue. Two large acres of lawn that slopes down to the man made lake w/ a fountain and the pool is nearby as well. But with the threat of bad weather Friday night and actual thunderstorms throughout Saturday, it brought everything indoors to the hotel. But the hotel did a great job of accommodating us making sure we had terrific time.

From the moment I walked into the hotel, I could feel the party vibes immediately. My good friend, Sonya, greeted me at the hotel check-in w/ a marguerita…love her! After being stuck in a 2 hour back up, it was just what I needed. Once I dropped my bags off in the room, I took my drink and headed down with Ruth and Sonya to get registered. At registration they give you a cute laminated badge w/ your name on it, so you could get into the events. Outside the ballroom, they have an assortment of things to see and do. They had live exotic birds there you could pet and hold. One of the macaw parrots rested on my shoulder, but seemed attracted to my shiny earrings and necklace. Her name was Strawberry and she was a little stinker. There was another parrot, don’t remember the name, but they didn’t like females. Anyway, there were cockatiels too. They were all very tame and gentle. Sometimes they’d get into a chorus of cackling as if they were having their own party. Some people walked around most of the day with the parrots on their shoulders. Even when the birds were around the loud music, it didn’t bother them a bit. Participants brought their doggies too. I saw about half a dozen different dogs throughout the weekend. I wonder what they made of all the weekend excitement.

Some vendors were selling beach wear, t-shirts, magnets and hand painted signs as well. I bought a SOTW t-shirt and a nice flowery shirt to wear out to future beachy, acoustic events.
I’ve never considered myself a big Jimmy Buffett fan, but I’ve always liked the easy going sounds of his music. But this weekend I totally fell in love w/ beach, island, acoustic sounds. I’ve always liked listening to that type of music, but after seeing these bands sing the music live and listening to the music and the mini stories they tell, I really became a fan. I love to dream constantly of living near or on the water and hearing these songs just brought those dreams that much closer to a reality.

I came away hooked on three different singers that I heard over the weekend. One was Sunny Jim White, Jim Morris and Scott Kirby. They sing the type of songs that can’t help but motivate one to just relax and visualize the simplicity of what life should be like. A small cottage on the water, w/ a dock and small fishing boat, and plenty of Coronas in the cooler.

Then there were B2B, The Calypso Nuts and Jimmy and the Parrots. They got us on our feet and dancing and enjoying a mixture of Jimmy Buffett tunes and other favorite covers.

In a way it was too bad we were unable to be outside. I can imagine it being much more islandy like when outdoors. But we adapted well.

When the partying was over for Friday and Saturday nights, we’d hit the hot tub to cap off a fun, music filled day. Sunday morning was nice. After breakfast, we wandered outside where it was finally sunny and warm to listen to Scott Kirby. Another great island balladeer.

I am glad I went to the Stars On The Water. It was a fun experience and one that I look forward to repeating next year.

Birds of A Feather...

2009-08-21T10:08:00.003-04:00

Flock together :)

Later today I will hit the road for Richmond, Virginia for the Annual Parrot Head Club of Richmond's Stars On The Water weekend. The Stars on The Water event is where several Jimmy Buffett tribute bands are scehduled to perform throughout the weekend. It will no doubt be 2 days of fun, and meeting new people.

The event takes place on the grounds of the Sheraton Richmond Park South hotel. I've never been to this event before. I was invited to go by Sonya, a good friend I see at Nags Head every year.

The weather outlook for the weekend looks questionable however and might be taking place indoors of the hotel. We've had several days of high humidity and it looks like thunderstorms might prevent the venue to be outside as in years past.

Still there's the indoor pool and the hot tub :) Either way I'm looking forward to having a great time.

I'm not a big Buffett fan, but I like the music and its fun and mellow melodies are just what I need before the big back to school rush begins in a couple of weeks. Although I don't have any children, the back to school crowd is always a sign that the laziness of summer is about over and it's time to get back to normal.

Bags are mostly packed...got my new lawn chair...found my Buffett's Gr. Hits cassette. I'm ready to hit the road in a few hours. Yea!

Working it all out...

2009-08-14T12:58:00.005-04:00

So I joined a gym a couple weeks ago. Fitness First actually. The one in Rockville. I'm really liking the gym. I'm usually intimidated by gyms and all the 'thin bodies' that attend gyms. I'm always wondering, why are you here? But this gym is different. It's friendly and not a meet market like other gyms.

I've found a great class to take on Saturdays. The Body Sculpt class. It's an hour long class that is part lo-impact aerobics and sculpting w/ weights and those exercise balls. I like the instructor and the class isn't too tough to handle. I feel great when I come out of the class.

Finding the consistency in working out on a regular basis is still tough. Only so much time in a day. Aside from working out at Fitness First, I'm playing tennis occassionally w/ my friend Stefanie. I also have plans to maybe join the Rockville indoor pool over the fall so I can incorporate swimming too.

But the biggest challenge is changing my diet. That is ALWAYS a struggle. I won't give up certain things. For me it will have to start off w/ portion control. Incorporate healthy things, like more fruits. Make an effort to cook more. Drink more water and less sugary based beverages.

Lowering the carbs and sugar elements from a diet is extremely tough. Our bodies crave them when we minimize them from our diets. They make it staying on track difficult. But if you treat yourself every once in a while, rather than erasing them from your diet enitrely, will keep you from being demotivated.

Its a slow process, and although my goal is to lose weight and eat better, implement more exercise into my daily routine, I'm sure I will see the results I need to keep me going.

Drips and drabs...

2009-05-26T20:49:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone. Not much going on. My show, Alice In Wonderland closed last weekend. It was a fun time but I'm glad to get back to normal and plan for the summer. I would love to thank Jo Rake, who directed the show, for a wonderful experience. I hope to be able to work with her again before her and Jeff, her husband, our terrific stage manager, move to Texas next fall. I enjoyed playing the role of the kooky Duchess. Loved the tirara and costume. Felt a little like Cinderella!

Trying to decide whether to audition for some one acts scheduled to go up over the summer. As much as I would love to do so, I really would like to have my summer rehearsal free. Hmmmm...auditions are tomorrow, so I need to make a decision. Acting is addictive folks.

The countdown for my trek to Nags Head has begun. Sent my money in to reserve my room and now I think I'm 37 days til departure. Always a trip I look forward to every year. Time spent with great people, great friends for a week every July. The fireworks on the beach for the 4th never disappoint. You can't help but feel patriotic when you witness the excitement of 360 degrees of fireworks. The reflection of the colors off the water is a sparkly wonder to behold. Its fun to watch the kids with the sparklers. Every year we pick up where we left off the year before. Yet catch up with our lives for the time in between we were apart. I feel akin to these barrier islands. I love it and would like to plan quarterly visits, in addition to my summer trip. Still working that one out.

My little man, Sweet Pea is doing well. Can't believe I've had him for over 2 years now. He continues to be a bright spot in my life. He's adjusted to being an indoor cat just wonderfully. He's spoiled, as you can imagine. Brushing him is a challenge, since he's ticklish on his tummy, but I manage. He's due for his annual rabies and physical. He'll look forward to that...only, not really. He still sheds great gobs of black, fine hair. Keeping up with it is tough. I plan to get his tummy and back legs shaved for the summer. I know it will make him feel better and decrease the shedding.

Ok...enough for now.

Political thought for the day...

2009-05-20T09:51:00.002-04:00

The government does nothing to reward those that work hard and everything to reward those that don't.

My response to Anonymous #2...

2009-03-30T16:05:00.003-04:00

Ok, this is a response to the comment made by Anonymous #2 from my latest blog post:

Comment from A#1: For one, Marxism and Socialism are not the same. European socialism is not the same as Soviet communism. Obama is only trying to control executive compensation of companies that took bailout money, not compensation of other companies

And the income tax was only meant to target the top 1% of earners when it was implemented. Look how that turned out!! The point is that the government is making business decisions about what people can and cannot make. This is merely a first step down the slippery slope. There is already a push to limit the pay of those in hollywood to only $1M a film.

The federal government (FDIC)has been taking over failed banks for decades. Then they turn around and sell them under COMPETITIVE BIDDING. This is nothing new under the Obama administration. this happened under Republican presidents as well.

The difference here is that the FDIC was taking over already failed banks to insure the funds for depositors and then selling them off. This is not happening here. There are many banks that were forced to take TARP money when they helped the gov't bail out failing banks (by acquiring them) and now the gov't wants to tell them what to do in terms of their business. Obama and Geithner have also signalled that they are not done taking over companies (not banks). Sorry, when the gov't controls the companies and the means of production, its socialism.

He has't said or attempted to socialize health care. He is trying to make it make health care (private and public) more efficient and cost effective making it more affordable for everyone.

you forgot to add at the end of your sentence... by socializing healthcare. Take a look at the stimulus plan and Tom Daschle's healthcare rules are all over it. Obama's teleprompter isn't stupid... its not going to come out in a press conference and tell Obama to say "We're gonna socialize healthcare"...instead, the teleprompter is going to tell Obama to say things like "making healthcare affordable to all" when in the backrooms the SCHIP has already been expanded to the middle class (who can afford it already). You want healthcare more efficient (and therefore more affordable)? Get gov't out of it!!

A Great Comment....

2009-03-25T11:55:00.002-04:00

I found this comment from a Fox News article about Barky's press conference last night. It couldn't be put any simpler than this:

"I don't understand how Obama continues to get away with making statements that are not true. First he approves spending over $750 billion on a pork bill under the name of stimulus. Then he moves to take over the banks, socilize medicine, control the income of company Execs. He makes statements about the redistribution of the wealth, pay accoding to your means. We have the top 10% of the income earners paying 80% of the taxes, with the bottom 40% of the income earners paying no federal taxes, and 1/3 of them receiving tax refunds for taxes they never paid. Then we get critized for saying we elected a socialist, marxist. This will be a very bad place to live in the future, maybe not for us baby boomers, who will receive no social security when we retire, but for our children, who will have to work their entire life and pay taxes for the 40% who pay nothing. My advice to my children is they will be penalized for going to school, betting an advanced degree and working in a non union job."

Is there anything in this comment that isn't true??

A great blog!

2009-01-12T14:25:00.002-05:00

I found this off of the Real Clear Politics website.

It was written by a well known character actor, Gary Graham.

It is well written. I encourage you to read the comments as well.

He's my new hero!

One Pissed Off Dude!

Rain Rain Go Away!

2009-01-07T09:04:00.004-05:00

Ugh...it is mornings like these that take me back to the wonderful memories of my vacations to Nags Head. Warm sunny days on the beach or spent by the pool. Sitting outside at night with friends and relaxing. Watching the fireworks on the beach. Ahhhh....six months away from the next trip....but I want to go now!

This morning after hearing on the radio James Taylor's 'Carolina On My Mind', it reminded me of a cool montage I created a couple years ago. It's an array of photos taken throughout the years of my vacations at Nags Head set to that song.

I'd like to share it with you with the hopes of it helping you forget the nasty weather we're having this morning.

Enjoy!

Click here to view the video.

Merry Christmas & A Very Happy New Year

2008-12-24T11:09:00.003-05:00

Just a brief post to wish all my friends and family during this holiday season, a very Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year.

And for my Jewish friends, a very Happy Hanukkah!

I hope the time you'll be spending w/ family and friends will be filled with great memories.

For the new friends I made this year, I look forward to seeing more of you in 2009!

Love,
Tracy xo

2008-12-09T09:37:00.002-05:00

Where Are You Christmas

Where are you Christmas
Why can't I find you
Why have you gone away
Where is the laughter
You used to bring me
Why can't I hear music play
My world is changing
I'm rearranging
Does that mean Christmas changes too

Where are you Christmas
Do you remember
The one you used to know
I'm not the same one
See what the time's done
Is that why you have let me go
Christmas is here
Everywhere, oh
Christmas is here
If you care, oh
If there is love in your heart and your mind
You will feel like Christmas all the timeI feel you Christmas
I know I've found you
You never fade away
The joy of Christmas
Stays here inside us
Fills each and every heart with love

Where are you Christmas
Fill your heart with love

Back on the Boards!!

2008-11-17T10:51:00.004-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I'm back on stage w/ Sandy Spring Theater Group in the Christmas classic, "It's A Wonderful Life". I play the role of Violet Bick (the Bedford Falls floozy) and several other voices. The show is being done as a 1946 radio show.

We are having a blast at rehearsals.

Below is a link of where to make reservations.

We open Friday, December 5th, 2008 and run Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday matinees at 2:00 p.m. until December 20th, 2008.

Hope you can make it out to see the show.

The City Of Gaithersburg - The Gaithersburg Arts Barn

Gird Your Loins Conservatives!!

2008-11-05T08:37:00.003-05:00

From Michelle Malkin's blog this morning.....I couldn't have said it better myself.

There is no time to lick wounds, point fingers, and wallow in post-election mud.

I’m getting a lot of moan-y, sad-face “What do we do now, Michelle?” e-mails.

What do we do now? We do what we’ve always done.

We stand up for our principles, as we always have — through Democrat administrations and Republican administrations, in bear markets or bull markets, in peacetime and wartime.

We stay positive and focused.

We keep the faith.

We do not apologize for our beliefs. We do not re-brand them, re-form them, or relinquish them. We defend them.

We pay respect to the office of the presidency. We count our blessings and recommit ourselves to our constitutional republic.

We gird our loins, to borrow a phrase from our Vice President-elect.

We lock and load our ideological ammunition.

We fight.

Burning Down The House: What Caused Our Economic Crisis? V2

2008-09-30T09:19:00.002-04:00

Here is an eye opening You Tube Video to explain our economic crisis.

It pretty much speaks volumes on how crooked our government is.

They are freaking out about this bailout bill not passing because God forbid the market should right itself without their meddling...which would show the American people they don't always need the government. The government wants everyone to have a plantation state of mind because they strive to be needed and manipulate the masses into believing they are nothing without them. Ha!

The House: What Caused Our Economic Crisis? V2

Lovely Linda :-)

2008-09-28T18:54:00.016-04:00

Last night, a dear friend, Dayna and I went to see the beautiful and talented Linda Eder sing with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Concert Hall of The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

The legendary Marvin Hamlisch presided as the conductor for last night's performance. He is a comedian too, who knew? He shared with us his dream to be a Temptation. Marvin got his groove on!

We had seats in the second row. They were fab! Great job Dayna! We felt like we were part of the show!

The evening's performance theme was a tribute to Judy Garland. Linda sang several songs from her CD she released a few years ago called By Myself. Her tribute to Judy Garland, one of her idols.

The National Symphony Orchestra and Linda's voice were a terrific combo. If you've never heard Linda Eder sing before, I'd encourage you to check her out on Amazon and give the samples a listen. She has the voice of a goddess!

Linda's voice is so unique and her vocals soar with such electricity that it appears so effortless. She displays such emotions that I couldn't help crying when she sang her version of Judy's Over The Rainbow. That song has sentimental value for me and her interpretation was just simply beautiful.

The icing on the evening's cake was getting to meet Linda and have our picture taken with her by a sweet girl who was in line with us and happened to have her camera.

I've been a fan of Linda's for a long time and this was the first time I've ever seen her live. It has been a dream of mine to have that opportunity. Many thanks again to my dear friend Dayna for finding the great seats. I hope to get the opportunity to see her again in the future. I'd love to see her sing some of her other great songs from previous CDs. I've posted the Amazon links to a few of her CDs below. Enjoy!

Linda Eder - The Other Side Of Me

Linda Eder - By Myself

Linda Eder - Broadway, My Way

Linda Eder - It's Time

Linda Eder - It's No Secret Anymore

Sharing Because the MSM Won't

2008-09-23T08:54:00.003-04:00

For those who are wondering who may be behind the disgusting PR anti-Sarah Palin campaign...check this bit of info out for size.

The Jawa Report

I don't think I've despised a presidential candidate more than I do w/ Obama. His arrogance and dangerous affiliations w/ domestic terrorists and crooks may be lost on the main stream media, but not on me. He's a vile individual who has thugs working in his campaign and who will swim w/ scum to lie about their opponent.

I'm sorry but you have to be crazy to vote for this jackass. Unfortunately many in our country don't have a mind of their own and they let the unions dictate as to how to vote. As if they are drones of a collective hive prepared to do whatever they're told to do without questioning or researching for themselves as to what is right and wrong. It.boggles.my.mind.

And this post was made in the comments section on Michelle Malkin's blog regarding this story....

After all, isn’t this just like the man who promises hope and change but in reality has been a part of the dirtiest, most corrupt machine politics for years. A man who exhorts the “rich” people of the US to help “the least of my brothers” and has never helped his own half brother George. Isn’t this the man who claimed in Elko, Nevada last week that he supported the people’s 2nd Amendment rights but whose voting and previous positions contradict him. Isn’t this the same Barack Obama whom the New York Post has pointed to statements by both the Obama campaign and the Iraqi Foreign Minister that he asked the Iraqis to delay a Status of Forces treaty until after the elections; a possible violation of the Logan Act?Change I can believe in? Looks more like “It’s the new boss, same as the old boss”.

How the democrats created this financial mess...

2008-09-22T17:13:00.002-04:00

An excerpt:

"What happened next was extraordinary. For the first time in history, a serious Fannie and Freddie reform bill was passed by the Senate Banking Committee. The bill gave a regulator power to crack down, and would have required the companies to eliminate their investments in risky assets......

If that bill had become law, then the world today would be different. In 2005, 2006 and 2007, a blizzard of terrible mortgage paper fluttered out of the Fannie and Freddie clouds, burying many of our oldest and most venerable institutions. Without their checkbooks keeping the market liquid and buying up excess supply, the market would likely have not existed.

But the bill didn't become law, for a simple reason: Democrats opposed it on a party-line vote in the committee, signaling that this would be a partisan issue. Republicans, tied in knots by the tight Democratic opposition, couldn't even get the Senate to vote on the matter.

That such a reckless political stand could have been taken by the Democrats was obscene even then. Wallison wrote at the time: ``It is a classic case of socializing the risk while privatizing the profit. The Democrats and the few Republicans who oppose portfolio limitations could not possibly do so if their constituents understood what they were doing.''

Now that the collapse has occurred, the roadblock built by Senate Democrats in 2005 is unforgivable. Many who opposed the bill doubtlessly did so for honorable reasons. Fannie and Freddie provided mounds of materials defending their practices. Perhaps some found their propaganda convincing......

Oh, and there is one little footnote to the story that's worth keeping in mind while Democrats point fingers between now and Nov. 4: Senator John McCain was one of the three co-sponsors of S.190, the bill that would have averted this mess..."

Bloomberg.com

But wait, there's more....

2008-09-17T11:34:00.003-04:00

Wow! Look at this!!!

Found this on Tammy Bruce's site this morning.

Major Hillary Supporter to Endorse McCain

Lynn Forester de Rothschild, having the courage to do what Ferraro did not
This is excellent news and is another permission slip for Democrats and feminists everywhere to vote for McCain/Palin. It is also an indication of how deep the defections go inside the Democrat party. If someone as prominent as Forester is not only endorsing McCain/Palin but willing to campaign for them, Barry has what is probably a fatal defection flaw throughout the base.

Clinton Donors Hesitant to Show Love For Obama

More political ruminations...

2008-09-17T09:38:00.002-04:00

McCain Bloggette

A nice blog written by John McCain's daughter, Meghan McCain.

Enjoy!!

Political Ruminations..

2008-09-17T09:20:00.005-04:00

In just two year's, you remember the election in 2006? Right?

Thought you might like to read the following:

A little over two year's ago:
1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%.

Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we have seen:
1) Consumer confidence plummet;
2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $3.50 a gallon;
3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase);
4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value evaporate (stock and mutual fund l osses);
5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion dollars;
6) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.

America voted for change in 2006, and we got it!

Remember it's Congress that makes law not the President. He has to work with what's handed to him.

Taxes...Whether Democrat or a Republican you will find these statistics enlightening and amazing. www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/151.html

It is amazing how many people that fall into the categories above think Bush is screwing them and Bill Clinton was the greatest President ever. If Obama is elected, he says he will repeal the Bush tax cuts and a good portion of the people that fall into the categories above can't wait for it to happen. This is like the movie The Sting with Paul Newman; you scam somebody out of some money and they don't even know what happened.

You think the war in Iraq is costing us too much?

Boy am I confused. I have been hammered with the propaganda that it is the Iraq war and the war on terror that is bankrupting us. I now find that to be RIDICULOUS. I hope the following 14 reasons are forwarded over and over again until they are read so many times that the reader gets sick of reading them. I have included the URL's for verification of all the following facts.

1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year by state governments. Verify at: http://tinyurl.com/zob77

2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens. Verify at: http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens. Verify at: http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English! Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0.html

5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies. Verify at http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens. Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens. Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers. Verify at: http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html

9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens. Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US Verify at: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html

11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin and mariju ana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border. Verify at: Homeland Security Report: http://tinyurl.com/t9sht

12. The National Policy Institute, "estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period." Verify at: http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf

13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin. Verify at: http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm

14. "The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States." Verify at: http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml

The total cost is a whopping $ 338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR!

Why are we THAT stupid?

Does it raise the hair on the back of your neck? If so, forward it to every legal resident in the country including every representative in Washington , D.C. - five times a week for as long as it takes to restore some semblance of intelligence in our policies and enforcement thereof.

Again I ask you, who took control of the Congress 2 years ago when our economy begun to show signs of strain? Duh...no brainer...the Democrats.

I mean the Dems couldn't dash out the door for their vacation this summer fast enough, avoiding doing their job of passing an energy bill. The Republicans stayed in session, demanding the Dems return to work on the energy bill. Did the main stream media cover this historical story, ummm, no. Why? Because Ms. Botox Pelosi had the cameras shut off. Hmmmm....so much for first amendment rights. Those rights only work for her and her cronies, but not for everyone. How can anyone in their right mind get behind these people?? I don't get it.

Tip of the Iceberg?

2008-09-16T16:44:00.002-04:00

Devastating Video - Obama Talks About Job William Ayers Gave Him

It blows my mind that the main stream media refuses to discuss these issues regarding Obama's background. Yet the mainstream media is busy digging around Alaska for dirt on Sarah Palin. For some reason they seem to feel that her owning a tanning bed in her home is much more important than a candidate who has known affiliations w/ a domestic terrorist.

I cannot for the life of me begin to understand why anyone would vote for Obama. I know I have friends that are planning to do so, but I'm sorry, and I'm not trying to be offensive, I can't believe they could explain to me why he is a worthy candidate and convince me he has even close to sound experience and judgement to be the leader of the free world. I'm not telling you to vote for McCain. However, I politely ask you to consider it and look closer at McCain as a viable candidate.

The amazing thing for me is that I detest Bill Clinton, yet if Bill Clinton were running against Obama, I'd be voting for Bill Clinton. That's how much I feel Obama is not a worthy candidate for the presidency. I can't blame the Hillary fans for being pissed off. Obama and his cronies hi-jacked the Democratic party. I'd like to ask the Rev. Wright and Obama now whose chickens are coming home to roost?!

I've had to deal w/ liberal friends accusing McCain of being crazy, and Palin being a bad mom for running for office when she has a down syndrome baby. Pitiful attempt to insinuate that women aren't capable of doing it all. The main stream media has the nerve to accuse Palin of setting the women's movement backward. Excuse me??? They've succeeded in doing so by the very actions they've shown in their burning her and her family at the stake. Somehow Michelle Obama working at a hospital w/ 2 small children doesn't seem to bother them. Outrageous craziness!!

2008-09-11T12:02:00.007-04:00

NEVER FORGET

John McCain chooses Sarah Palin as his Veep!! Yea!!

2008-08-29T11:17:00.005-04:00

Ok, so thank goodness for the U.S. Open being on the USA Network this week, because with all the repeats of regular programming and countless awful reality tv shows and the Democrat convention, I'm so grateful that I had the U.S. Open as a viewing option for TV this week.

During the commercial breaks during the Rafa/Ryler match, I switched over a few times to catch Obama's speech. I have to admit, I was frustrated by the same glass half empty mentality these liberals continue to spew. They act as if the world around them out side the arena is falling down and the American people are hopeless. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

This is a snippet from a blog article I read this morning about the democrats:

This is a party that maintains power by trying to convince people that our country is a dark place, devoid of opportunities, and that the answer is to elect more of them.

Brilliant! And it is so true.

But just a few moments ago I discovered that John McCain has picked a woman, yes folks, a woman as his VP running mate. Her name is Sarah Palin and she is the Governor of Alaska. Brilliant choice! Check her out by clicking on her name below.

Sarah Palin

Will be back later with more political musings.

You think Hillary is pissed off?? I would be ;-)

Mad For Mad Men

2008-07-25T09:47:00.004-04:00

Last Sunday, I discovered a great drama series on AMC (not A&E!). "Mad Men". The phrase Mad Men was coined by the men who worked for ad agencies on Madison Avenue in NYC during the 1960s.

The acting, writing and directing are top notch! I came across their marathon of season 1 episodes this past Sunday. When season 1 was aring, I had been fascinated by the previews that I’d seen and a few viewing moments that I occasionally watched during season 1, but was always just engaging in a channel surfing drive-by.

Unfortunately I didn’t catch the first season from the beginning, so when I was catching snippets here and there, I wasn’t sure what was going on because it was a continuing story series. Upon watching the marathon from the beginning, I was pulled in and hooked immediately. I was intrigued by the whole package and appearance of the show. The props, the costumes, the set decoration. I really feel like I too work in that office. The filming is authentic and nostalgic. It is sometimes rough to watch, seeing how women were treated in the office during that time. It was indeed a man’s world. Despite the seediness that lurks among the male characters, it is still interesting to see how professional appearances are for the staff when it comes to poise and dress. Since then, the office appearances, based on my experiences working in an office environment for over 20 years, it has eroded and evolved to a blatant casual form of unprofessionalism. IMO.

Let me say it again, I am hooked on this show! The cast is an awesome ensemble. One that I haven’t seen in a drama series in some time. There isn’t a weak link among them. Every character is interesting, robust and leaps off the screen. I do want to point out that I’m disappointed that none of the actresses were nominated for Emmys this year. Hopefully next year they will be recognized for their awesome efforts with this show.

The show is slick, and polished. I can’t mention enough how great the writing is. I love it. It is amazing to see how smoking and drinking in the office is as common as sharpening your pencil. Despite the health issues that smoking and drinking can cause, you, or at least I can’t deny there is such an element of coolness there looking at a sharp dressed, attractive man lounging at his desk holding a cigarette as the smoke gently waves in the air. I love how men dressed during that era. The cuff links. Oh mama!!

Among the cast, the stand outs for me are, Jon Hamm, as Doug Draper. Mr. Hamm does a fantastic job of capturing the mysterious Doug Draper. His control, smooth and cool approach is fabulous! Not to mention terrific screen kissing. Friends who know me, know how important a quality that is in an actor *wink wink* He’s been nominated for an Emmy this year. Got my fingers crossed. Good luck Jon!

The role of Roger Sterling is portrayed by John Slattery. He also does a great job as Doug’s boss. These two actors, Mr. Hamm and Mr. Slattery work wonderfully well off of each other. The understated humor is spot on.

The other intriguing character is Peggy Olson. She is played by Elizabeth Moss. Her character starts out as a wide eyed, young woman who I believe does a terrific job of flying by the seat of her pants to keep her head above the office politics. She also masks her insecurities successfully w/ quiet confidence. Her brilliant articulate abilities allow her to maintain and hone her thick skin which appears blatantly obvious after observing how sharp the teeth are in the lions den at the Sterling Cooper ad agency.

It is a wonderful show that will grip you and leave you wanting more. I suggest you give it a chance. Season 2 begins this Sunday, July 27 at 10:00 p.m. on AMC. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Hail Kipper and Clay!! Hail On My Way Here!!

2008-05-06T14:41:00.004-04:00

On the heels of Clay’s acclaimed and spectacular 15 week run on Broadway as Sir Robin in Spamalot, today he releases his 4th studio CD, On My Way Here. This CD is a triumph. A masterpiece. Clay has surpassed his fans’ expectations with an outstanding and lavishily produced CD. Every song is fantastic. There isn’t one track I’d want to skip. It is a brilliant collection of beautifully written songs hand picked by Clay and his producers, Kipper and Jaymes Foster Levy.

This is the CD Clay’s fans have been waiting for. It is true ear candy and as you savor every delicious morsel, you will experience an array of emotions. Everying from smiling to crying.

I strongly believe that 3 or more of these tracks should be heard on Adult Contemporary radio stations. I’m hoping that RCA and his PR people are moving on that. Call your radio stations and ask them. Get the word out there. I'm telling you not just because I'm a fan, but this CD is fantastic. One of the best in a long time.

This CD most definitely reflects a more mature and wiser Clay Aiken. He’s grown up and does a great job expressing the journey he’s taken to get to this place in his life and his career after American Idol.

It is hard to pick a favorite. There is something for everyone. Each song is unique and special.

The songs that grabbed me immediately are Falling and Sacrificial Love. One uptemp, other hauntingly heartbreaking. I dare you to get through Sacrificial Love without crying. I dare you. Where I Draw The Line and As Long As We’re Here are both quickly competing for my fave top spot.

Even if you aren’t a Clay fan or haven’t taken the journey as a fan with him since American Idol, this CD will still speak to you and worthy a listening to.

Give it a try. You won’t be disappointed. I can guarantee it.

Tracy—
May 6th, 2008

2008-04-25T09:31:00.006-04:00

Happy Friday Everybody!!

Ever have one of those Fridays where you are in a good mood? That you're having a good hair day, the outfit you picked out for work is spot on. Especially when it is an outfit that makes you look thinner? Hello! Anyway, today is one of those days for me. Not sure if it is because I got enough sleep last night or that it's Friday and the weekend lays ahead of me. Totally possible!

I'm sure it is also partly because I'm headed to NYC this weekend to see Clay Aiken one more time (ok 2 more times) in Spamalot before his run ends May 4th. He's done such a great job in this show and has received outstanding reviews for his fabulous acting and dancing. I wish everyone I know could have seen him in his Broadway debut. I don't have any doubts that other Broadway opportunities will come his way in the future.

And if you missed it...here was Clay Aiken making a guest appearance on American Idol this week...they say the neon lights are bright on Broadway....on Broadway...yes indeed!!!

.....other drips and drabs....

Had a scare with my cat, Sweet Pea, last night. He got out of the house, but luckily I retrieved him before he could run away. He was actually a good cat and remained still so that I could pick him up and bring him into the house. I think his knowing that when momma comes home from work means dinner time, kept him for going too far.

And a mini rant....why must people who own iPods w/ headphones mind you, have their volume levels up so high that others around them can hear what they are listening to?

This morning on the metro on my way into work, a young lady sat next to me. She had her iPod or MP3 player volume up so loud that I could hear what music she was listening to. I was trying to read, but the music that was coming out her head set was unbelievably loud! I tried giving her a concerned look, as if to say w/ facial expressions "do you have any idea what you are doing to your hearing?" I guess people who listen to their music at decibels that everyone can hear, don't care. A co-worker told me once how she tried to gently ask a passenger sitting next to her to please turn her music down, only to get called a bitch and receive the finger. Charming. I credit to being in a good mood and not feeling it was worth an altercation with the young woman. But who knows if it happens again, that I won't be inclined to ask why in the hell does the music have to be so friggen loud!!! I can picture it now, half the younger population in 10 years will be deaf before they reach 30 years old!! Wonderful.

and my political comments for today....

A good article....

Obama and Clinton: Two Cynical Losers

They sure could screw up a steel ball couldn't they?

Springtime Is Here!!!

2008-04-17T12:29:00.005-04:00

Remember that song from Charlie Brown Christmas, 'Christmas time is here....' hum along with me...anyway, at lunch yesterday I ventured out for a nice walk and I couldn't help but hum that tune, only humming the lyrics 'spring time is here...' la de dah dah de (couldn't think of any other lyrics).

The temps were delightful. The sun was shining and I saw my first bee!! My internal barometer for when spring is here to stay for a while is when I see my first bee. It is the only thing about spring and summer that drives me insane. I hate bugs generally, but bees give me an almost phobic reaction. I'm not even allergic, but I'm not willing to find out when they hover around my head and are seeking refuge up my nose or in my ear!

The cherry blossoms have made their appearance as well as young adults and children on those close-to-the-end-of-the-year field trips. They're walking around w/ their small maps, asking strangers how to find the Washington Monument and the White House. They're even on the Metro trains. What fun!!!

They all seem to leave their manners at home before coming to the Nation's Capital. You have kids who cry loudly and talk loudly and listen to their iPods loudly. Their parents seem to react like deer caught in the headlights when it comes to the slightest remote idea of disciplining in public. So usually it is left to strangers on the train to take the bull by the horns and do the discipling for them.

But I digress. It is an exciting week in D.C. Pope Benedict is here to visit with the president and hold probably the largest mass on the east coast at the new Nationals stadium. They were expecting over 50,000 attendees. I wish I could have been there, but I'm happy to catch up with all the details from my local news station and not tackle the crowds.

So yes, spring is slowly making is presence known to the D.C. area. I'm glad. It means driving home with the car windows down and the moon roof open. Sleeping with windows open. The smell of freshly mown lawns. Sitting in the park during lunch hours working on that tan for the beach. Taking walks around the block to work on losing weight in time for the beach.

I look forward to consistently warmer weather for the next few months. I can take hot summers any day over cold, brutal winters. I just hope the summer heat patiently waits before it decides to wrangle spring from it's position. We typically tend to have a few weeks of a pleasant spring and then all of a sudden we get an instant heat wave that lasts til the end of September!

I hope everyone gets the opportunity to get out and about for the next few days. It will be nice to say good bye to winter and hello to a refreshing, new spring season.

Enjoy!

2008-03-20T08:53:00.003-04:00

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING EVERYONE!!!

ALSO, HAPPY EASTER TOO!!!

2008-03-17T12:13:00.003-04:00

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVERYONE!!!

Just a happy St. Patrick's Day wish to all my friends and family!! May you enjoy many pints of green beer today!!

Also...hope everyone had a great weekend!

I came across a good friend's blog I'd like to share with you today. He's a good friend and the husband of one of my long time best friends. Hope you like his blog. Here it is.

http://thaiphoonblog.com/

This weekend I also went to see The Other Boleyn Girl. I'm currently reading the book. Although the movie was good, I'm enjoying the book better. They've left some things out. But I guess with an over 700 page book, it was hard to include every event in the movie. The acting was good and the costumes lavish, but it was a bit distracting imagining King Henry VIII as a handsome and thin king. Who knows, maybe he was considered a hunk in his day. It's totally possible.

Oh and stay tuned for a future post listing my list of hot Hollywood actors....Thaiphoon, you've inspired me :)

That 'tis all for now!

Have a great week everyone!

Tracy ;)

Broadway - Clay Aiken - Come On Down!!

2008-01-03T20:38:00.000-05:00

Besides being a fan of Clay Aiken, I have always been a big fan of NYC and Broadway. So imagine my excitement when I discovered Clay would be making his Broadway debut in the Tony award winning Spamalot. I am so proud of him. So proud that he'll be taking that journey. So proud that he'll be joining the uber talented group of men and women of Broadway.

NYC is full of such unique people and cultures. I've always belived that Broadway and NYC as a whole is a terrific, never ending dose of high energy. Twenty-four hours a day. You could go to NYC any number of times and still never see everything. You'll always have something new to see for the first time. They're so many hidden gems in neat little pockets, and in little nooks and crannies of the city.

Come February of this year, I, along with several of my dear friends and fellow Clay fans will be going to see Clay in Spamalot. We are so excited to see him on Broadway. I always believed that Clay would venture to Broadway some day. I always believed he had the talent. So glad he felt it was the perfect moment in his life, in his career to experience Broadway. I know he without a doubt he will knock them dead. I know he'll shut up those worthless critics and hopefully his success will silence those notorious haters that seem to waste their time with obsessing needlessly over trying to bring Clay down. Clay has been around for over four years and the Clay Nation is still going strong. Their warped desires to knock him down is futile.

My inspiration behind writing this entry occurred while I was watching the new year celebration in Times Square. It is so exciting to see everyone together. It was amazing to see so many people from all over the world coming to Times Square to bring in the new year. Such energy. Such hope for the new year.

I'm always excited when I have an opportunity to visit NYC. Seeing Clay will be icing on a yummy cake. As always, I wish nothing but the best for Clay with his role in Spamalot.

Break a leg Clay!

--Tracy

2007-12-30T10:23:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!!

To all my friends and family, I want to wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year!!

May the new year bring you endless joy, peace and love.

Be safe.

Rejoice!

Love,
Tracy xo

2007-12-05T22:08:00.000-05:00

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

What a nice little treat this morning. We got our first snow of the season today. We got about 4 inches of snow. Very festive and an invitation to get into the holiday season. When I got home, the snow was so pristine and neightborhood Christmas lights beautifully reflected on their front lawns. The commute home was rough though. Left at 5:50 pm but didn't get home until 7:30 p.m. Long wait for a train tonight. Thankfully, cleaning off the car was easy and the drive home was a breeze. Missed most of the traffic.

Decorated a little on the inside tonight. Hung some twinkle lights and put up the Nativity scene. It's the first time in 3 years where I've been in the mood to decorate for Christmas. It is a good feeling.

Before signing off, had to mention that while I waited for a train to get home tonight, a young woman sat down next to me and she looked like she was about to burst out crying. On the other side of me was what appeared to be a homeless man. The young girl couldn't help but want to talk to someone. That someone was me. She started out by saying that she felt like crying. I asked her if she wanted to talk about it. She looked to hesitate and then mentioned she was not looking forward to visiting her family during the holidays. She also said she had a bad day at work and worried if her boss was mad at her and I got the distinct impression she was someone who was seeking to be at peace. I tried to suggest to the best of my ability that if there was a way for her to make arrangements to spend time with friends during the short time she was visiting her family, friends that accept her as she is and to perhaps spend as less time with her family as she could that it would help aleviate any kind of anxiety she was having. It was at this time the homeless man next to me handed her a copy of the Holy Bible. At first she said 'no thank you'. Then he gestured that it was free and she could have it. She took it and put it in her bag. I think she felt better after our chat, but I felt for her because I believed she suffered from lack of self esteem and she hadn't quite reached the point of standing up for herself when she was around people who tore her down or criticized her. When the train arrived, we ended up on different cars of the train. I only hope she felt better and that she'll end up having a pleasant Christmas.

2007-12-05T14:32:00.000-05:00

Amazing! Whoa! Outstanding!

Those are only a few of my feelings from attending Clay’s Christmas In The Heartland concert in Washington, DC at the Warner Theater on Sunday night. Clay brought his singing soul to town on Sunday night. He did not disappoint.

This was my first of two Christmas In The Heartland tour concerts. My next and last concert will take me to Red Bank, NJ next week (Tuesday). I can’t wait!!

I met up with my Clay gal pals around 3:00 p.m. We headed over to Metro. Took the subway to Metro Center. The ride to Metro Center was enjoyable. We had ample opportunities to chat about Clay, our holiday shopping adventures, Clay, the latest detailed events going on with our lives, oh and did I mention Clay? ;)

Once we arrived at Metro Center we made our way to 1331 Bar & Grille at J.W. Marriott to meet some other Clay fans for dinner. The food was delish and the company even better!

Many thanks go out to Sheri and Dayna for getting it all organized and keeping us updated regarding developments w/ times, directions and menus. It was a great location and very nice inside. Thanks also to Dayna for the awesome Clay magnets and Clayfetti as well as the adorable name badges she prepared for the dinner attendees. I chose the pic of Clay with the pouty lip. I love it!

I met several new faces among the fandom at the dinner as well as seeing familiar faces too. It is always wonderful when meeting up with my Clay fan friends. Always like a great reunion.

Thanks to Carol for our adorable gifties. You are such a sweetie!

As we paid our tabs, the waiter brought out a slice of cake for Carol so we all could wish her a happy birthday.

The weather however was a bit messy. It was cold and rainy as we arrived at the restaurant and when we headed over to the Warner. Thank goodness we didn’t have far to walk. But no matter how icky the weather was, nothing could dispel the warmth of our excitement and anticipation we shared for seeing Clay’s show.

The Warner Theater is a beautiful theater. A gem in the theater crown of the District of Columbia. Very historic. Our seats were great. The house was packed. He received very good publicity for the show, which I believe helped increase the ticket sales so Clay had a sold out house for his show at the Warner.

He shined. What can I say? He sounds fantastic. He sounds wonderful live. He sounds awesome on his CDs, but to experience Clay singing live is like nothing else. He is superb! He is sexy/classy personified.

The stage was arranged very with a very classy set up. The orchestra was on the stage, surrounding the arranger/conductor, Jesse Vargas. Clay was positioned center stage and elevated on a mini platform which raised him above the level of the orchestra, while Angela Fisher and Quianna Parlor (his remarkable back-up singers) were flanked on either side of Clay. The upstage back drop screen would occassionally light up with seasonal snowflake designs, which would set the mood for the musical selections for the evening.

The girls were decked out in beautiful black taffeta gowns. Clay was looking hawt and handsome in his long black coat. Underneath a black shirt and black silk tie and nice black pants. His hair looked good. Although it looked like he did it himself.

He remained contained on his small platform for most of the show. The set included songs already known to his fans as his signature holiday tunes. Such as Oh Come Emmanuel, Don’t Save It All For Christmas Day, Mary Did You Know, Merry Christmas w/ Love, and his powerful version of All Is Well. He did a fun and jazzy medley with Sleigh Ride and Jingle Bells that knocked.me.out!

This year Clay asked his fans to submit their best holiday memories for a contest which he selected the ones he deemed appropriate to match the set list. The writers of the stories he selected were able to read them onstage during the show. I was moved by them and the story enhanced the message of the song that followed each story. Kudos to Clay for coming up with the idea. He mentioned he read over 1600 stories before picking those for his tour. Wow! Even if your story wasn’t selected, how exciting is it that he actually read everyone’s story?

The most emotional part of the show for me was when a fan read a story about one of her good friends who lost her father to a stroke which was followed by Quianna singing “Where Are You Christmas”. I’m so glad I remembered to pack tissue in my purse. I was an emotional puddle of tears from that point on.

I could share the meaning of that song since my Mom suffered a stroke three years ago this week. It is a bitter sweet experience not having my best friend, my mom with me at these shows. She was at home, but I felt every note and every word in that song. I felt it for my Mom.

After Clay finished Don’t Save It All For Christmas Day, which allowed him to actually move around on that small platform a bit, he departed the stage only briefly, but returned to cap an already breathtaking program with All Is Well. Oh goodness, the last note of that song was wonderous, and sung with such power and conviction. It isn’t often a singer can sing these types of power house songs back to back with consistent success, but Clay did it with grace and ease. It was very moving.

Once the show was over and we let the glow of the program settle into our hearts, we made sure to get group shots outside the theater in front of the beautiful Clay poster the theater displayed. We then headed back to Metro Center with stars in our eyes and warm memories still clinging to our souls.

Seeing Clay live is always an exciting experience for his fans but even though the adrenline is still pumping and we’re talking about the countless nuiances of each and every show, it is just a bit of a let down because we know we could just live with seeing him sing live every day and never get bored.

After Clay belted out that brilliant glory note at the end of All Is Well, I turned to my seatmates, Adele and Denise, and said “How does one NOT get that??” How does anyone not get it indeed.

In closing let me just say that Clay always delivers when he sings live. He is an entertainer. He is a comedian and his voice is one in a million.

Clay’s Christmas In The Heartland tour continues through to December 22nd. I highly encourage you to go see him if you haven’t before. You won’t be disappointed.

When this tour is over we get ready for the next wave – “Spamalot” on Broadway baby! Clay acting, dancing and singing! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Can’t wait!!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!

Tracy ~ Fan4clay

2007-07-01T04:10:00.000-04:00

HITTING THE ROAD!!!

Ok, it's a little past 4:00 a.m. here and I'm preparing to hit the road for the beach. Nags Head, North Carolina. Dropped off my little boy with the 'rents. He seems to be adjusting to his 'vacation' away from home. Left him lying on my Mom's bed sprawled out just chilling. It was weird not having him around at my house last night while I did some final packing and loading up the car. Since Mom is recovering from Thursday's surgery in the hospital, Dad will take care of him. He's in good hands :)

I hope the traffic is non-existent and the weather will be pleasant on my way to the beach. I'll probably pull in anywhere between 9 and 10 a.m. We won't be able to get in the house until 4 p.m. So I may drive down to Hatteras just to check out the scene. Or maybe Roanoake Island. Or maybe grab take out breakfast and go sit up on the Gazebo and enjoy the ocean and the breeze.

For me, there is excitement with the journey to any vacation. The anticipation, the planning, the excitement of just relaxing and decompressing. It is amazing how just laying on the beach and staring out at the ocean's horizon can calm you. Connecting with nature's spirit is a wonderful thing.

Stay tuned for beach updates this week......

2007-06-25T08:25:00.000-04:00

Reagan Thought For the Day....

"The house we hope to build is not for my generation but for yours. It is your future that matters. And I hope that when you are my age, you will be able to say as I have been able to say: We lived in freedom. We lived lives that were a statement, not an apology."

Have a great day everyone!

T-- xo

My little boy...Sweet Pea

2007-06-16T12:04:00.000-04:00

I have yet to introduce you to my little boy to the world. Here he is. Sweet Pea. A stray cat that was found by a friend. My friend was unable to keep him because she had birds. How grateful was I that she was significant in bringing this lover boy into my life.

When I first got him home, he escaped and I thought I had lost him for good. After 2 days and putting food out, and walking around outside calling his name and talking to him, he showed up at my door and walked right in as if he owned the joint. Of course, when the door closed behind him, he gave a look like, 'crap!'. He had become permanently an indoor cat.

When we first saw him, we thought it was a girl. Then the vet informed me she was a he. The picture doesn't do him justice in showing how beautiful his hair is. The pictures were taken when he had to be shaved because his hair was matted so badly. Now it is growing in so beautifully and thick. He has a bit of frosted gray spots on the side and tummy. He has the most beautiful yellow/green eyes. He's a rascal too. He has moments of being lovable but then switches to play like pouncing action, and my legs are his prey. Ouch!!

The vet believes him to be about 2 years old. He has a young, playful nature and LOVES the window seat. He loves watching the birds and action outside. He once was an outside cat and I think sometimes the pull of the outdoors calls his name and he wishes to be out there again.

He's my little boy. Just this morning he did something he's never done before. He jumped onto my bed as I was waking up and gave me kisses and face hugs. He actually laid down with me for a bit and enjoyed some TLC. Then he was off to chase my moving feet and legs on top of the covers. What a stinker.

He's adjusted well to indoor living. Have no doubts he's spoiled rotten to the core and is loved very much.

He's character....just check out that devilish grin ;)

This just in....

2007-06-14T14:06:00.001-04:00

Should anyone be surprised or shocked??

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Martin O’Malley Breaks Campaign Promises and Now The Law

ANNAPOLIS—Administrative Law Judge Susan Sinrod has ruled that Governor Martin O’Malley’s Administration acted “unconstitutionally” and “for political reasons” when Transportation Secretary John Porcari fired Greg Maddalone on January 23, 2007. Judge Sinrod has ordered the O’Malley Administration to reinstate Mr. Maddalone with full back pay. Chairman James Pelura of the Maryland Republican Party made the following statement:

“Martin O’Malley has made a name for himself – breaking campaign promises and now the law. It is amazing that Democrats spent more than $1.1 million and thirteen months investigating Governor Ehrlich for perceived unlawful firings, and there was not one violation found. Martin O’Malley was in office for not even six days when his Administration unlawfully fired a state employee. Marylanders should be outraged that $1.1 million was wasted last year on investigations and not one penny has been spent on real, documented cases of abuse under Martin O’Malley. Marylanders deserve better than these double standards and political games.”

You get what you vote for folks!!

Outer Banks or Bust!!

2007-06-13T22:12:00.000-04:00

Well it's that time of year again where I get excited about my annual trek to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the countdown begins.

The Outer Banks is a group of barrier islands off the east coast of North Carolina. They have northern spots known as Corolla and Duck. The southern spots include Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and then farther south is Hatteras Island where the famous Cape Hatteras lighthouse is found.

In a little over 2 weeks, I'll be headed to one of my favorite places to vacation at during one week over the summer.

I started going to Nags Head in 1991. I was reacquainted with one of my friends from high school, Betsy. She married a man who went to VA Tech. A group of Hokies from VA Tech have been coming to Nags Head for years and for that year, her husband and she were hosting the week. She invited me and a friend to join them. We came for 1/2 the week and had a blast. What can I say about those that I met when we arrived at the beach house at Mile Post 8.5 in Kitty Hawk, across from the Wright Brothers Memorial. They were and are some of the best friends I've met in my life. I may only see them once a year at the beach, but I feel like I've known them forever. I wish I had the opportunity to see them more often during the year.

I enjoy the drive, even when I'm alone. I don't mind. I have my tunes and I can keep good company with myself. I do alot of thinking, hoping and creating on the drive.

The beach house we stay in was the first place I stayed in in 1991. At that time, the house was old and practically falling apart. It is an old house that goes back many years. It has an accompanying cottage that is very quaint. Also during that first encounter, no pool or hot tub. But the gem that still remans is the Gazebo. It sits perched on the dunes and overlooks the beach and Atlantic ocean. It is very inspiring and peaceful.

One year the A/C broke down during a hot and humid week (keep in mind, no pool at that time). We suffered! Then for a couple years we went to different houses, which were nice but it didn't have quite the rustic identity that that first old house held.

The house was newly renovated a few years ago and now the improvements still maintain the rustic appearance and is unique among many newly build cookie cutter beach houses on either side of it. They installed a pool, and added a couple hot tubs. Decent central A/C, up-to-date appliances. A rooftop deck which allows a breathtaking view of the surrounding area.
There is a volleyball net and court, but it hasn't been used in a while. But my first year, before the big cookie-cutter homes we're built, they'd have many games.

Nags Head provides for me the perfect blend of peace and harmony and hanging with good friends and an a great opportunity to relax and feel reborn. I recommend anyone who has yet to find a place that really defines the word 'vacation', to give the OBX a chance. I don't believe you'll be disappointed. It's beeeeeeeeuuuuuuuteeeful!!!

Poor Poor Pitiful Paris...

2007-06-11T22:12:00.000-04:00

I was so delighted to see Paris Hilton sent back to jail last week. It did my heart good to see a young punk who thinks she's above it all not get her way. She did nothing to gain sympathy from the public, IMO.

I have no idea what that sherriff was thinking when he let her go home. Because she was sick? Because she had ADD?? (Well that explains alot...) But I guess she's not the only one who has ADD in jail. Perhaps he should have let them all go home? Eh?

I wouldn't have been surprised to learn that the Hilton family gave money to the sherriff's campaign in exchange for special treatment to their daughter.

Anyhow, I'm very curious as to how she'll be once she gets out. Think she's still writing in her diary to write a novel from? You know she'll lay it on thick.

I'm kind of hoping she's sharing a cell with a big female prisoner named Bertha. Wouldn't you just love to be a fly on the wall for that??

Happy Memorial Day to Everyone!

2007-05-26T10:24:00.000-04:00

Just a short note to wish everyone a happy and blessed Memorial Day! My thoughts and prayers go out to those who have made sacrifices and to those who continue to make sacrifices to sustain our freedoms. They're aren't enough words to express our graditude.

God bless America!!

2006-11-08T15:45:00.000-05:00

The Day After...the elections

I was actually doing pretty well with the election turn out from yesterday. I was miffed by the way the voting was turning out. But was able to go to bed and sleep soundly, knowing there was nothing more that I could do than what I did earlier that day and that was to vote.

I woke up discovering the reality of losing the House to the Democrats and quite possibly the Senate as well (come on George Allen!!). Even then I was disappointed and sad to hear that, but still I tried not to let it get me down, because I felt that now the focus and pressure of accomplishing the agenda, whatever the heck it was, was now on the Democrats. We'll see what happens there.

I took time to read a variety of articles reviewing last night's returns and what the future will now hold with the Democrats in power. I was left feeling a little hopeful and to be honest slightly agreeing with what the conservative pundits had to say about the Republicans needing a shot in the arm or smack in the face, whichever you choose to use here.

Just a bit ago I read where Rummy resigned. Now keep in mind I had no issues with Rummy, I felt he was doing the best he could, but perhaps if he had resigned a couple months earlier, the Republicans would have still been in charge of the House and won't possibly lose the Senate too. Sometimes you have to fall on the sword if it means salvaging security for the many. JMO.

So here I was going along during the day, not letting the returns and Democratic gloating (check out the UN memo...oy vey!) get to me. I wasn't depressed, sad or even sheading a tear. At least not until I read where my illustrious Governor Erlich, indeed conceded to Mayor O'Malley. I actually cried a bit. I couldn't believe that the numnuts of my state voted in O'Malley. I'm sorry folks, but how can you vote out a Governor with an over 55% approval rating? A Governor who worked hard for the Save the Bay campaign? A Governor who got us out of the red and into a multi million dollar surplus? I ask you what the hell were you thinking?? I guess a significant amount of voters are poised, and ready to get something for nothing. Don't you see them over there with their hands out? You can bet O'Malley sees them and with your hard earned money will be sure to reward them without earning it or any effort at all.

If I have a bitterness about the election it isn't about the Dems taking over the House or potentially the Senate, but bitter that the people, the voters of my state didn't think logically when voting for their Governor.

You can bet that during O'Malley's victory speech, the wheels were turning in his head on how to spend that huge surplus. You don't believe me? Just wait. Keep an eye on this one folks.

I guess there's a reason why the Dems' mascot is an ass.

2006-11-01T20:04:00.000-05:00

Look who's acting up....

Come see a fun play entitled "Lying In State", a political comedy farce, at the Bowie Playhouse in Bowie Maryland.

One weekend left. We have a show this Friday, November 3rd and Saturday, November 4th at 8:00 p.m. Lots lof laughs and a great cast!

Tickets are $15 for Adults and $10 for Seniors/18 & Under

Reservations: 301/937-PGLT (7458)

Bowie Playhouse is between Rte. 450 & Rte. 50 in Bowie Maryland

Hope to see ya there!!

Election Day and Our Future

2006-11-01T13:39:00.000-05:00

John Kerry still won't apologize for his comments he made about the military. Am I surprised? No. Am I still pissed? Sure. He continues to make the rest of us grateful and almost makes us want to kiss the ground that he didn't get elected in 2004. Can you have imagined? Ok, I can't either. So, with that in mind, revisit those thoughts when you vote next Tuesday, November 7th.

I saw a very telling ad this morning while getting ready for work. It was a conversation caught on tape between 2 terrorists discussing the planning and execution of an attack. Whether it was against the U.S.A. or another country, it was a tapped line that apparently was disconnected because of pressure from the Democrats who felt the NSA's line tapping of those who are strongly under suspicion of terrorist activity is against our privacy and civil rights. Think about it, when the terrorists win, your civil rights and privacy won't matter.

The ad indicated that in this election we should be voting like our lives depended on it, well do you deny it doesn't? Because imagine if the Dems do get in there, imagine how the military will be dismantled, giving the terrorist an edge in the war on terrorism. Anyone who thinks it doesn't matter, I strongly believe is kidding themselves.

It is very important for you to use your voice, now, more than ever. Don't sit at home. Don't wave your hand in indifference, get out and VOTE!! Your voice, your choice does matter and think of how many countries in this world of ours don't get the opportunity to use their voices like we do.

Voting is a significant God given right ~ EXERCISE IT!!

John Kerry...Oops I Did It Again..

2006-10-31T15:10:00.000-05:00

Ok, ok, I have Democratic friends out there, but how can you support someone who has a bad habit of not tasting their words before spitting them out??

I couldn't help but drop a line on my blog today to mention how pissed off I was to hear John Kerry make the quote he made about our U.S. Military. Just because he was a stupid idiot when he was in Vietnam, and still is, doesn't mean that all soilders who give their lives to keep us free are.

For all those liberals who continuously go on and on and on about Bush and how dumb you think HE is, maybe you should seriously consider a new contender has just taken his place and his name is John Kerry. What a super-stuffed-shirt-mercedes-marxist-cluses-dim-witted-politician.

More later...

Oh! And HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!! boooooooooooo!!

I LOVE NYC!!!

2006-02-21T21:37:00.000-05:00

Hey, whenever I get an opportunity to go to the Big Apple, I'm there baby!!

This weekend, a friend of mine, Stef and I drove up to Manhattan for President's Weekend. Despite the cold, frigid weather, we had a great time.

I know Stef from my community theater days with PGLT.

She loves NYC like I love NYC.

We went up on Saturday morning. We got there around noon. We endured very cold temps on Saturday afternoon and evening. Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!! The wind chill was only 3 degrees on Saturday night. We had to cut our evening walking short because the wind was so fierce. We ended up going back to the hotel by 7 p.m. Only to get back to the room and notice the heat wasn't working. Grrrrrrrrrrrr! Fortunately they sent an engineer to fix the heater. It got toasty warm by the time bed time rolled around. Yea! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

I'm trying to remember all the things we did. The first day we hopped on the subway to Union Square and tried to find the Parsons Design building. The building where they film Project Runway. We found one of them, but not THE one. We also found a couple of shops Stef wanted to stop in. Like I said, despite the cold we managed to get some sightseeing in. We tried to stop at a couple Starbucks for a hot drink and something to snack on, but everyone was crowding in the Starbucks to keep warm and enjoy a hot beverage. It was standing room only.

We settled on having an early dinner in a great restaurant called Bella Lita. Nice, hot, tasty pizza and a glass of wine. Have I mentioned I LOVE NYC??? Then we tried to run over to the Starbucks for dessert, but, yep, you guessed it, standing room only still. We decided to walk back to the hotel and then discovered a diner in our hotel called Celebrity Diner. We went in and each enjoyed a delicious dessert and a hot, piping, cup of strong coffee. What a gold mine they got there!

Sunday was cold, but not as windy. It was actually bearable in the sun. Sunday we hit the Central Park Zoo. Very small, but very delightful. We saw the sea lions, penquins, sleepy polar bears and seals. We found the Wellman Rink and took landscape pics of portions of Central Park and skyline shots of The Plaza Hotel. We did finally find the Parsons Design building. It was actually near our hotel. Pretty cool to see the building up close. Would have loved to run into Tim Gunn. He's a hoot! Make it Work!!

We also saw a very funny off Broadway show entitled "Forbidden Broadway". It is hilarious. I recommend this show to everyone who goes to NYC. It is worth the price of admission. It is a parody on all the musicals on Broadway. I howled!! Four very talented perfomers. Two women and two men. Great voices, great talent. Go, go, go, now, now, now!!!

Sunday night after seeing the show, we changed into warmer clothes and decided to soak in the lights of Times Square. Nothing I have ever experienced can come close to the energy that Times Square generates at night. Not just the lights and neon, but the physical energy generated by the people soaking in the lights too. We then went to the Marriott Marquis lounge for a drink and snack. We didn't have seats right by the window looking down on Broadway, but we could still see the bright lights pretty good.

I have to admit I feel like I'm getting to become a pro when it comes to the Subway. It's like Stef said while we were walking around. We may be tourists, but we feel at home somehow. Like it's an adopted city to come to whenever we want and we are welcomed and seem to blend in with the natives.

We topped off our weekend with experiencing skating at Rockefeller Center. What fun!! The weather was actually nice. Still cold, but not uncomfortable. I was surprised at how well I skated. I didn't fall once and actually was able to get around and didn't have to hug the sides much.

I've experienced being in NYC while it is freezing cold. I can say I survived part of a Manhattan winter. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!

I should be ready to go back in the Spring....love the Big Apple!!

Happy Belated New Year....

2006-01-28T11:00:00.000-05:00

Wow, it's been a long time since I posted. My how the time flies.

While the baby panda, Tai Shan grows more cuter by the day, it's hard to believe he's over 6 months old. I have yet to go see him in person yet, but hope to soon.

The holidays this year weren't all that great. I had to put my baby Kristi to sleep just days before Christmas. She, like her sister, was lost to kidney failure. Kidney failure is a common method of passing for older cats. They are both missed very much every day and I so miss their companionship. They were like my little girls who greeted me after a long day at work and even though they couldn't communicate, they knew when I was happy, sad and when I was feeling sick. Pets, another one of God's great gifts.

Winter is very mild so far. Not much cold weather and we've yet to see a big snow for the winter of 2006. I hope we get one good one before spring appears. Just not President's Day, I and a friend Stef are going to NYC for a couple of days. Although snow in Manhattan is probably gorgeous.

Last weekend, my best friend, Riss's husband threw her a surprise 30th b-day bash at Taverna in Tysons. It was a good time with good food. She was totally surprised. Jerry was very successful in gathering those close to her and her parents were there too. They are so adorable and so nice. Her sis Divina was there as well. Hadn't seen her since we did the Tango at Riss and Jerry's wedding. Jerry's mom and some of his brothers and wives came too. It was a great group of friends and family who came out to celebrate the beginning of a special decade.

Today is a beautiful, mild Saturday. I'm not sure what I've got planned. I've got some ambition to maybe rearrange some furniture and clean...we'll see if the couch wins out. Sometimes I get hooked on some tear-jerker of a movie on Lifetime and can't pull myself away.

Ok, so I'm off....where it my tape measurer??

Awwww...baby panda :)

2005-09-23T09:50:00.000-04:00

Ok, ok, I know it has been a long time since I've posted, but the mood hadn't really struck me in a while. But the mood struck me tonight.

I found a cool website for the Washington National Zoo where you can watch the Panda Cam and witness the growth and development of the new baby male panda at the National Zoo.

In case you didn't know, the National Zoo welcomed a brand new baby panda on July 9th. The name of the cub has not been determined yet. I believe it is the Chinese culture to wait a certain amount of time before they officially give the baby panda a name.

I've been watching the panda cam off an on for about 2 days now. It is really interesting to watch how the mother panda interacts with the panda cub.

Sometimes Mei Xiang, the mother panda, will leave the cub alone to go play in the yard with the male panda and father of the cub, Tian Tian, or eat bamboo, but does check on the cub to groom or nurse several times during the day.

Tian, Tian is not allowed to come near the cub for fear he may kill it.

Click here to view the panda cam. You have a choice of viewing 2 cams for 15 min ea. Once the 15 min is up, you can re-cue it and continue to watch.

The cub occassionally makes a valiant effort to try and stand up. Baby panda cubs usually are able to stand up when they reach 3 months old. He's getting close to that mark and should be able to get up on his own soon.

There is audio too which is interesting because when the mother is with the cub she makes noises that seem like she may be communicating with the cub. I'm not sure if that is for certain, but it seems like there is a purpose for the sounds and my guess would be to communicate.

One thing for sure, they sure sleep alot.

Right now, I believe the mother is nursing the cub and the quiet grunting sound is the cub feasting on his mom's milk. There is also a lone cricket in the enclosure that you hear from time to tome.

They may not be moving around alot, but it is so amazing to be able to witness what would happen in the wild, actually happening in captivity.

A sad note however, that because of the deal we made with China when we acquired Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, their first born cub, when he turns 1 year old, will have to go back to China. I'm hoping the National Zoo will be able to keep him, just like the San Diego zoo was allowed to do when their pair of adult pandas from China had their first cub. But when a second cub is born to the National Zoo, that cub will be turned over to China.

It is the Zoo's hope that come November, they will be able to let the public see the cub. I can't wait and will make an effort to go and see him.

I hope you'll take a moment to check out the panda cam to see the National Zoo's treasured bundle of joy.

What a life eh? Sleep, eat bamboo and play.

Clueless Celebrities

2005-09-10T12:06:00.000-04:00

Ok, some celebrities who try to be political crack me up. Do they ever play back what they say?? Do they realize how stupid they sound?? Sadly, no. No they don't.

For the last week and a half I have had to listen to the dribble some of these celebrities have spewed about the Katrina tragedy. It has made me utterly sick and disgusted to hear and see them all jump on this bashing band wagon.

For instance, this morning, I saw clips of Alicia Keyes being interviewed about the looting and shooting that was going on in New Orleans shortly after the hurricane. I don't have an exact quote, but she used the word 'desparate' several times. Meaning those that looted and shot people were desparate. I wasn't sure what she was talking about, but seemed like she was trying make excuses for the thugs that would have still looted and engaged in that behavior even if there hadn't been a hurricaine.

Now understand, I don't know, and hope to never know that kind of despararation in my life, but if you aren't one to naturally engage in those kind of actions on other fellow human beings, chances are you wouldn't do it, only as a need to defend yourself. As for those who stole food, diapers, water in order to feed their families, I completely understand that and would probably do that myself if I needed to survive. However, when you are stealing tvs, dvd players, suitcases and other items that aren't for survival purposes, then it is just stealing, plain and simple.

This morning, the Saturday morning panel of hosts of the Fox News channel were discussing this little blip and were mentioning that a few other celebrities who took part in last night's concerts were saying they were confused and didn't know what to think or what to do about what was going on on Gulf Coast. What to think??!!! What do they mean they didn't know what to think or do?? Are they kidding me?? Were they performing at this concert as a photo op??

Ok, for those celebrities who are confused or don't know what to do, come in closer and I will give you a short list of suggestions:

1) Pray. Pray for those who have lost everything. Pray for them to be eased of suffering and to know that with faith and time, they will come back. Pray for those that are helping those who lost everything.

2) Be grateful for what YOU have. Be grateful for your million dollar homes and million dollar cars as well as be grateful for the gift God gave you so you could have that million dollar home and car. Be so grateful for those gifts you received, because it can disappear as fast as the gifts those in Lousiana, Mississippi and Alabama lost with a blink of an eye.

It slays me that these celebrities would even utter those kind of comments. So many times they speak out of their butts and haven't a clue of what they are talking about.

Perhaps Hollywood should hire coaches that don't help with acting, but how to be silent and thought a fool, than to open their mouths and remove all doubt. But can they really be silent? I think not.

How could I forget....

2005-09-08T19:39:00.000-04:00

My little baby? My little girl? My 15 year old-spoiled-rottened-attention-slut of a cat?

Up until about three weeks ago I had two 15 year old spoiled rottened kitty cats. Unfortunately, Cassie got seriously ill and I had to make the painful decision to put her to sleep.

I had always been sympathetic to friends and family who had pets that got sick and had to be put down, but never could connect with their emotions. Well I finally understood all too plainly of what it feels like.

Standing before Cassie in the examining room before the vet gave her the injection is something I will never forget and even now as I recall that morning, my eyes quickly fill with tears. I will always wonder what had to be going through her mind before the final moments of her falling into a eternal sleep. I still miss Cassie very much and yet I know I made the right decision. She lived a full, long life and was loved very much.

My other little girl, Kristi, is such a love bug. Even now while I post this blog, she's sitting behind me, meowing her little head off, demanding I pay attention to her. Sometimes she climbs up into my lap while I surf the net, only with an agenda to distract me into petting her chin. She's so smart ;)

She too is 15 years old and was Cassie's litter mate and sister. Whereas Cassie was quieter and more like Greta Garbo, 'i vant to be alone', Kristi is like that dog in the cartoon jumping around the owner, or in her case rubbing around your ankles and calves. Kristi is the 'pay-attention-to me' kid.

Goodness, I can't imagine how she'll be on Saturday once we return from the vet after she gets her rabies shot. She's going to loooooooooove me....NOT!!

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!

2005-09-08T09:09:00.000-04:00

I want to wish my mom and dad all the best for a very happy 43rd wedding anniversary!!

God bless you both!

I love you both very much.

xo

Virgin Blogger No More

2005-09-07T19:11:00.001-04:00

Well school is back in session, fall is around the corner and I have finally joined the thousands of people who have been exploring the blogging world for years.

I'm excited to have a place to share my thoughts and encourage open discussions on a multitude of topics, hobbies and passions. They will include religion, politics, music, theater, ghost hunting, paranormal activity, movies and my various fandoms. They include Hugh Jackman, and Ioan Gruffudd. I like the history associated with the Napoleonic era as well as the history related to the Titanic.

It is my hope that this blog will grow into a small community of like minded people which include old friends and will produce new friends.

The reason I've called my blog The Woo Woo Lounge is because of the nick name, Miss Woo Woo, which I adopted while vacationing one summer in the Outer Banks, N.C. While tending bar, I introduced the gang to Woo Woo martinis. The gang began calling me Miss Woo Woo. I liked it and well, it stuck.