Kareneh

Congratulations, cindilu2!! :04: Wasn't it last years gala when we talked and you were just about to start your program? So glad that you got a job in you new field, too.

And I haven't been by to offer my congrats to merrieeee on her new citizenship!

Oooh!! Pretty Christmas pictures...yum.

I heard Santa Claus Is Coming To Town , in Danish tonight. It seems the radio station I listen to in the car has gone to an all Christmas format as of today.

****Julemanden Kommer Til Byen**** (which sounds like You Man Comma Ti Boon.......with a very very soft "n" at the end)

Oh my goodness!! Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes. It was a pretty low key affair. I made pizza. John made me a cup of tea, for which I had to wait an hour. Apparently, we are going out to dinner on the weekend. I actually got exactly what I wished for this year....sunshine! Three weeks of solid overcast skies (with drizzle) and night time darkness by 4:15 was getting a little wearing. But today was sunny and I think there was still a little glimmer of daylight at 4:20.

I like the sound of "Clay Aiken's new CD" without even hearing a note.....

Okay, I`m going to make a concerted effort to find that blog of mine tomorrow. I sure hope I bookmarked it.

Oooh!! Can't wait to see the beads! I can't find the ones I had bought in Toronto a few years ago and I miss them.

Two of my peeps on the breakfast list aren't going to make it so it will just be me and my aunt, Lorraine, on Sunday. Can't wait to see you all again....we're leaving in a few hours....overnight in Toronto and on to Raleigh in the morning.

:04:

heeee...

well I do know that LadyJ intends to do another contest in the future with photo suggestions coming from you all. One each...and then you'll see how tought it is to choose photos...heee. I think I had about 10 picture input in round one... and I went through one CD worth of photos... before I realized I had 4 more I hadn't even looked at. So start thinking about your picture... we'll have you email rather than post it here at some point because I think half the fun is not knowing which photos are going to show up in round one.

Oooh!! That sounds like fun!! I was going to be kind of sad when this one ended and now you tell me there is another one to look forward to. Thanks to Ldyjocelyn for all the work she put into this...I don't think I've mentioned my appreciation for that yet.

I can't believe that in a little over a week I'll be on my way back to North America....a little time in Canada and then off to Raleigh on the 15th. I am so looking forward to seeing everyone and kicking back for a few days. I know I haven't been posting much but I'm here every day. Just a little time shifted is all. Nothing much is new with me....the dog fell into the 8 foot end of the pool the other day. I guess he thought he could walk on the cover and that I could swim. So that was exciting. He's lucky I was outside when he did it and heard the splash. He's a pretty smart old guy, though, he paddled to the edge of the pool and I was able to fish him out by laying on my stomach and doing a very unglamorous rolling-haul up and out. Luckily he lost a lot of weight this summer......to make up for the 20 pounds of water he absorbed into that long coat of his. And I need to know.....who would build a pool without steps? And am I going to have to run the heater in the winter just in case?

Anyway....back to my homework.....and those pork chops that don't know how to cook themselves.

Happy Birthday, ldyjocelyn!!

BWAH where ever he is, he looks like he just rolled out of bed!

It appears he is in France; if you biggie size it you can see French words in the background...it appears Reed is also in France...so you may be correct about him just getting out of bed, LOL

ETA: Correction, it was just posted on CV that the girl who tweeted is from Montreal.

Kim

Yep, definitely looks like the old city in Montreal. I wonder what brings him up there....work or a nice long Canadian weekend vacation. And as you all say.....cute no matter where he is.

keepingfaith, you hang in there, that Tex-Mex will be around long after all the flu bugs are gone, right?

I'm back in Denmark after 6 weeks in Halifax. Got the dog safely imported and all is well....except while I was home I got the lame brained idea that I was going to sew something to wear to the gala! So I came back here armed to the teeth with patterns, fabric, new pins and needles, and a lot of enthusiasm for the project. But.........as for sewing clothes for myself....it's been a while. Wish me luck. Right now I'm warming up on the dining room curtains. (As in if the original plan doesn't work out I can always remake those into a fetching dress with matching bonnet.) OY!

And before the day ends for me, Happy Birthday to merrieeee!!!

Who is coming in on Thursday?

I'm coming in on Thursday.

I've got nothin'

Oh, yes you do! You've got a guinea pig! I love guinea pigs.

Another great post, keepingfaith. You always seem to find a fresh way express things. I love that, too.

Any chance that Clay's gonna try the one ,two, three punch again??......... A book, CD and a short Christmas tour. Just thinking off the top off my head. First he says he heading back to the studio, then he's asking for info about the Christmas tour and now the gossip about a possible book.

It's a slow night, what can I say??

Hey Karen eh.....you're like a chipmunk, got stuff stored all over the place.

I'm looking foward to your visit home...hopefully it will have warmed up by then.(7 degrees this am...brrr)

Or he's recording a CD to accompany a Christmas book based on The Work.....

Well, NUTS!! Thank God, I turned out to be a chipmunk! I've been looking for an explanation for these cheeks (all four of them) since I haven't been near any Ben & Jerry's for months and months.

I suppose there's a table involved in a book tour....

*Rats!*

So... those weren't x-ray vision glasses? For a minute there...

*Double Rats!*

Sadly, not x-ray glasses....but they do allow one to select different levels of protection depending on Waldo's level of participation, and/or the experience level of the user.

I also hate to say this....but....I left them with our things, stored in Houston, when we moved overseas.

cha cha, I think we did include one of those photos or one like it on a Main Page at the Broads. I can't remember which one, though......but I do think you're right.

As for the tutus, I'd say Reed looks about as good in one as any guy possibly could look in a tulle mini skirt.

calurker, I'll be home again in about 5 weeks for a nice long holiday. I'll call you for sure.

Have a great day everyone!

Ouch! That last one (not the cat) damn near put my eye out!!

Since I came late to the party is it possible to get a brief (not boxers) summary of how the term "waldo" came to be for Clay's, erm....waldo?

Gotta put dem goggles on BEFORE ya start scrollin' hon for them to do any good! What am I saying. They don't do any good at all...

When I stumbled upon these, I knew that one day I would have just the right use for them.

Here, Chardonnay and I demonstrate effective Cl-eye protection. And we were SO ready to market these and get rich, rich, RICH!

I suppose there's a table involved in a book tour....

*Rats!*

Wheeeeee one graduation down! It went well. I am a proud Mom. Now I have a week to recover and get ready for the next one.

What a great picture! Congratulations to you both! And to all of the families with graduates.....these are the best and most exciting times, I think. Enjoy all of your celebrations!!

And speaking of pictures, that one Permaswooned linked yesterday is beyond CUTE!

Taking a break from unpacking boxes....don't feel like I'm accomplishing much other than making a mess. As much as I griped about its coming, I'm beginning to think "stuff" is overrated. I did find 2 external hard drives and some Clay CD's though. That was nice.

Oh, and I did find the hurling stick I won at a charity event on St. Patrick's Day in Baku. I think I'll keep it in the corner by the front door in case anyone without good manners comes calling looking for hardwood. I'll be able to help them with that. :bigemo_harabe_net-24:

This past couple weeks of Lambergate have made me realize why I don't watch Idol...why I don't care about Idol and how totally whacked our society has become when this is news and why sometimes I just have to roll my eyes at the fandom and say "are you kidding me?"

Kim

Yeah, akim, I don't know why people care so much about entertainment. Either you're entertained or you're not.....seems simple enough to me. There are so many more important issues out there to argue about. I figure once everyone's had their swing on this "gate" it will fall of its hinges like all the rest and everyone will move on to a new playground.

Sure would be nice if there was an extra special camp counselor there.

I love reading here, but sometimes I am really afraid to post; you guys are so smart and articulate and knowledgeable(Old English!)...I mean, I thought I was reasonable intelligent, but some days I feel like I need to go back to school or do research or something!

Kim

Well, girlfriend, you are the one who touched Clay's heart so much that he got "misty" and posted his first message on the board at OFC! That's historic! You bow to no one!

Ditto! That was a great post, right on the money.

Isn't that the same night he went to chat and changed Kareneh's name? And Kareneh, after revisiting the Frisco pictures last night, it's stunning how you "captured" Clay that night. I'll tell you again, you were rocking that camera! The b/w's blow me away.

Well, thank you. All compliments are appreciated. Now.....isn't it funny how he changed my name one night, and year later he's calling me a liar. Sort of like getting married, isn't it? I would that, too.

Our things are supposed to be delivered within the next few hours. FINALLY!! It will be great to get things set up and the last of the landlord's things out of here. I wrote a couple more blogs over the last couple of days. The Pool Boy visits Sally's. Oh......and in case your Danish is a little rusty, for the second one, I should illustrate......"fuld pakken"

I really miss being what my family called "crazy". Being crazy can be very satisfying.

I think mine is just lulled into a false sense of normalcy. I imagine news of a tour would send them into a state of shock....kind of like if I took up my 3 pack habit again.

Good to see you again, zena, whether you're all grown up, and serious now, or not!

Oh wait, I have another question, for the more electronically-oriented FCA-ers. (Not Clay-related, bad me... ) I'm looking into getting either a laptop backpack or a neoprene sleeve for my laptop since I lug it to school all the time and worry about damage. I have a lot of backpacks already (though none with laptop compartments) and a sleeve would be cheaper so I'm leaning towards a sleeve, but I was wondering if anyone has either/both and has an opinion.

I picked up a great Targus laptop backpack at Best Buy for $7.99 (I think it sells for about $50 normally) a couple of years ago. It was a back to school loss-leader I'm sure, since it was around the beginning of August that I got it. I love it, and use it with and without the laptop a lot. (I have a rolling one I take most of the time on flights). It's seen a lot of use and shows absolutely no signs of wear and as far as backpacks go, it's the most comfortable on I have ever used. It's just plain black, nothing fancy but it has room for everything I want to put in it.

I have a laptop bag on wheels so I can just drag it which is my fave thing to use. I also have a thinner styled one that goes over the shoulder for short trips or when space is an issue, but the one on wheels is my preference since whether its the back or shoulder the laptop weight is a problem for me if its for very long. Its also roomy enough for other things like cords, an ipod and multiple external hard drives. *g*

Yes, me too, and I like it...but my chiro tells me the "slightly turned and pulling" action is just. not. good. Yah. Not him carrying the backpack.

My rolling bag is a Samsonite spinner with 4 wheels on it, so I never have to take the weight...except when I have to heft it up to an overhead bin. Mine has been discontinued and replaced with this Samsonite X'ion2.

I don't have to drag it....it rolls with the push of a finger even when full loaded. I can lean on it in long lines. I can push it instead of pull it and it rolls in any direction so I can slip down airplane aisles without banging into the seats along the way. I love this thing, too....a lot.

Seems I not only missed the eHP get together but a Skype cert as well! Thanks for thinking of me though. And I think blood sporks would make a lovely door decoration. I might frighten the mailman half to death but if that means fewer bills, it would be a small price to pay.

Thanks for the recap. I think a lunch or dinner with Clay would be one of the best things ever! But probably not going to be in my future so I love these recaps. They're a real treat, just like when your roommate would bring home a doggy bag, after a date, at a really great restaurant. The pictures are like a nice dessert to top it all off. He looks delicious.

So, kimye is in town and there is talk of Thai food? Come on over here, I bet I know someone who knows how to whip up something really tasty. I have about 50 pairs of chopsticks in the kitchen drawer, too. Bring your own bowls....my stuff is still in a warehouse. I wanna have dinner with my eHP!!

No delivery date yet but it IS in Copenhagen. With nothing much left to do until it gets here, I've been work on more pix. I finished the ones from the Knoxville show of the SRHPT and uploaded them. I discovered a bunch of Houston ones that needed to be uploaded and now, I realize that I never did look at the ones from Asheville. I don't know what was going on with me then....clueless or what?

Here are some samples (some funny & some serious) from the Knoxville album....

Oh, that was a lot.....me getting carried away again. The rest of the album is here......Knoxville Gallery

I've been keeping up with the old blog, too. Sally's Bored....(Duh! I fixed the link.)

Just because you leave the garbage at the curb, doersn't mean the stench can't still make you sick.

I put out an extra bag of garbage this morning, some broken up IKEA boxes, 2 pieces of torn-out carpet, and 3 cans of beer.....full ones for the trash man's trouble. Perhaps a couple of Budweisers would take care of the problem.

I just returned from seeing the documentary Every Little Step, about creating the original A Chorus Line and casting the revival. It gave me a REAL appreciation of how hard it is to be a dancer on Broadway. It was a great show.

Since we have a dancer in our "family" now, you all might find it interesting.

Where did you see it, wandacleo? I'd love to see it. I wonder if Char knows about this.

I did some photo uploading over the past few days. Whoever it was that posted that Red Bank picture this week reminded me that I still had some left to upload from 2007. I finished uploading Red Bank and Williamsport from that year's Christmas tour. I think I know why I stopped playing with them....the sameness. Not as interesting as when he was moving about the stage at all. But they are what they are and they're done. On to the next one, right? Maybe a review of the work means something, something for us. Anyway, I still have to finish editing the pics from Knoxville that summer and upload them. They're a lot more interesting than the Christmas ones that year. I've been kind of saving them for something fun to do an a series of rainy days. Both galleries are here if you're looking for some monotonous pictures to fill an evening. Red Bank & Williamsport

Everybody, close your eyes. I'm stealing in to steal this from liney23....too cute not to have repeated.....while 00lsee and jumpingjacks deserve to have 2 birthdays....because I said so...not just because I'm late to the party.

00lsee... and jumpingjacks...,

When I first heard the news that Clay had come out, I was kinda angry for about 2/3rds of that day. I thought that I was mad cause of defending him to people who put him down for being gay and put me down for being his fan. And, there was a bit of that there, but I also figured out that I also did have a bit of uncomfortableness about his being gay. I really looked at that and decided I didn't like that at all and worked at letting it go. I was very happy with how unrestrainedly I was behind the whole Clay/Reed thing. Everytime I see a picture of them together I have the biggest grin in the world. When I even think of them I get schmoopie. I grew... thank you, Clay!

The biggest thing we are here on this earth to do is to love. ANY two people loving each other is beautiful, plain and simple!

I know I'm preaching to the choir, but just wanted to say it anyway. FCA... LOVE YA'

Yes, I totally agree. Any two people loving each other IS beautiful, no matter how you slice it and dice it.

Here's how the 50th birthday went...my friend planned a party and forgot to call me!!! :cryingwlaughter:

She finally called to ask where I was....uh...home...where am I supposed to be???? Good grief.

Kareneh, ROTFL! Loved the blog!!! Maybe KAndre can send you some bloody spork pictures to stencil all over the front door. (Better yet, if you're brainstorming on ways to finance the next tour/show/whatever-he's-up-to, just give us a holler & the ehP could come over for a Grand Reopening!!!)

The ehP is truly a many talented bunch

Okay, I'm working on a mailer......I mean, how often do you get the opportunity to open a new venture with a hungry, and already established, clientele? Can we offer the take home videos as mp4s?

Smudge sticks/bundles

Sage Smudge Ceremony

Smudge Sticks

Use of incense or herb smudges as a purifying element is rather common throughout cultures and religions from Catholics to Wiccans. Of course your neighbors are probably use to the smell of incense from your house so they will probably not mistake you for a witch.

So far Google translate and I have come up empty. I'm not getting anything likely from the hits that are coming up. Being more than 10 words fluent would probably help a little. I've not given up yet though. I have a friend here who might be able to help me find the right place when she gets back in town. I mentioned this to John a little while ago and I think I scared him with visions of driving all over the city looking for a bunch of dried herbs. He may not mind though, if he thinks it will keep him out of IKEA for a day.

As for the neighbors, I'm planning a debriefing barbecue sometime next month. Come to think of it, I imagine they're used to debriefing barbecues here, too. But, how strange that I just uploaded a photo of a broom for my next blog entry. Talk about your metaphysical.....

I wonder if Clay would like to come to my debriefing barbecue. I sure would love to have him come.

Holy crap, bottlecap! Talk about taking a bad hair day head on! That "do" is truly frightening, and yet, intriguing all at the same time.

Speaking of which, my first night alone passed without incident. There will be cleaners here in half an hour which I find somewhat daunting....I don't know why. I should, but I WILL NOT, look under the sofas.

liney23, I take it that fresh sage that they sell at the grocery here isn't the same thing? And how exactly does one smudge? Is that what one uses a smudge pot for? I know that sounds dumb but I'm learning the more questions you ask, the better.

That is seriously amazing! I think Mylene has Kate Gosselin's hair.

I did a bunch of research into cell phones last week, but in the end I threw in the towel and bought a reloadable SIM card for the phone I brought with me from Baku....the basic Nokia. I think most of my calling nowadays is done on Skype.

Canfly you have a beautiful kitty! The car's not bad either. The plane on the other hand, reminds me of my days in Alaska....it was a little scary....but then again, it could get a person to Anchorage in half an hour.

So, I'm reading "Girls Like Us" on the recommendation it got here. I'm enjoying it very much but somewhere along the way my freaking chronic earworm has returned. I'm not sure if it was the Joni Mitchell part I was reading or the fact that Clay was there but "A Free Man in Paris" has been going around in my head over and over for three days now. The last time it got me...probably five years ago, I think it lasted a year. I learned to live with it, but dammit I didn't want it to come back. How does this happen? It's always that one song! I've been trying very hard not to think about it....maybe a few go rounds with Ring of Fire will cure me.

Liney23, when you posted that Red Bank picture last night, you reminded me that I never did upload more than a handful of photos from that night (and one or two more 2007 shows). I guess it's time, eh?

I've updated Sally's adventures in the whorehouse in case you're interested.

From treenuts....

In a small town the local patrolman was making his evening rounds.

As he was checking a used car lot, he came upon two little old ladies sitting in a used car.

He stopped and asked them why they were sitting there in the car. Were they trying to steal it?

In a small town the local patrolman was making his evening rounds.

As he was checking a used car lot, he came upon two little old ladies sitting in a used car.

He stopped and asked them why they were sitting there in the car. Were they trying to steal it?

'Heavens no, we bought it.'

'Then why don't you drive it away.'

'We can't drive.'

'Then why did you buy it?'

'We were told that if we bought a used car here we'd get screwed, so we're just waiting.

Hey! The same could be said for my driveway....

And PLEASE tell me you kept the heart!

I absolutely positively kept the heart.