#40: He simply makes me smile when I see him.

[Carolina Clay]

Hello, FCA!

Kudos on the "Spamalot" pin sale, FCA! I'm sure those few extras will fly on the shelves, Couch Tomato!

SPAMTASTIC Reprise Nears / Counting Down to 9/19: New blog with new graphics by cindilu2 and Amazing_CA, as well as "Spamalot" montages by Yollie950 and Snowluv4. The blog is posted at the OFC and at Carolina On My Mind. Hope you enjoy!

BettyJean, thnx for sharing your graphics here.

Cotton, hope you and our families will be safe during Hanna's assault on the Carolina coasts.

Have a great week, all! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Caro

[ldyjocelyn]

I keep forgetting things...

Cotton, hope everything works out well for you in regards to the weather.

BettyJean, very nice blends.

Caro, I love your blog. So very informative!

Other than that...nuthin'. I wanna go home.

[Iseeme]

Ahhhh - hair dye! I've been doing my own for quite a few years. I've found that the salon dye (can be purchased at a Beauty Supply store) lasts quite a bit longer without fading than the stuff over the counter - and is alot cheaper. If you don't want red highlights (sorry Clay, sweetie!) get a color with Ash in it. Between working at the nursery and playing golf with a visor, my hair fades quickly so I was able to find a product that provides sun protection to chemically changed hair (sounds like a science experiment!) It works!!! I started turning prematurely gray in high school and for years had my hair reverse frosted (they put brown streaks in it to control the gray) One day I wasn't paying attention and the damn hair stylist covered my whole head with dye. I could have throttled her. Now I have to do my whole head. I'm not sure, because I haven't looked in awhile (tm Rachel Ray) but I think it's pretty white under there.

I watched AYSTFG again last night (TV sucks right now, doesn't it?) and I swear I didn't see grease in Clay's hair. It was a little messy, and I think his jacket was kind of blah, but the man was adorable. I particularly loved watching Jeff Foxworthy look at him with newfound respect. I think he fell under the Aiken fog there a few times - seemed to me like he was quite surprised at Clay's wit and personality. And I still love that little Sierra! What a cutie. Anyway - I guess it's all in your perspective! Not trying to beat a dead horse, but his hair just didn't hit my radar what with all the other stuff that was happening like cute facial expressions, his comments, his obvious thought process to get the answer right.....

It's starting to be Fall-like here - leaves are turning and dropping all over my driveway (grrrrr! I hatessss Madrone trees) but I don't think we're done with summer yet. Can't believe I'm wishing for snow. It's been too damn hot here this summer. I'd rather shiver than sweat any day!

Cotton - you okay today???? Anybody else getting hammered with the storms?

[FearofH2O]

Thanks bottlecap, now I'm in the mood!

Remember to check store for candy corn. I'm sure it'd available year round but this is the fresher time of the year.

[muskifest]

Muski paces, determined NOT to get into a greasy hair discussion....Iseeme, you're ee-veel! heh.

Just got a call from hubby. Mother in law in hospital with irregular heartbeat and renal failure...please send out good thoughts.

[jmh123]

I am almost embarassed to admit this, but last night I broke down and took out the credit card, went over to Future Shop and bought myself a replacement iPod. I tried to stop myself, because I really can't afford it, but seriously, I felt as though someone had cut off my left arm or something. I was never without that thing, I wore it at work because my job is boring, I wore it every day when I took my walk at lunch, sometimes when I took the dog for a walk after work, I had the fm transmitter for use in the car....so I bit the bullet and bought the exact same one that was stolen, a black 80gb classic, with a leather case to keep it from getting scratched. This puppy will never be left in the car. I've learned my lesson. I synced it up as soon as I got it home (hee! 5230 songs or videos exactly) and it works like a charm. No problems with licences for my purchased music at all - guess that is only for transferring the files to a new computer. I took it to bed with me.

I was wondering how you could possibly survive without an iPod, because I know how attached you are to yours. I'm glad you got a new one!!

{{{Muskifamily}}}

[Cotton]

Luckiest, sorry about your iPod and congrats on the replacement!

muski, I'm sorry about your MIL and hope things turn out better than expected!

We have a perfectly gorgeous, sunny day today. And tomorrow is expected to be more of the same. It's Friday night/Sat. morning that is the concern. So right now is the calm before the storm. I'm trying to clear the deck - moving stuff to the storage barn.

But first of all - The Today show Pissed Me Off and I have been working on an email. Anybody else watch the last hour?! I finally couldn't get it any shorter. I have trouble with succinct! LOL!

Here's my email.

Dear Today Show Staff,

US broadcast news is increasingly disappointing. Using resources such as TMZ and Lavandeira (aka Perez Hilton) as reliable, credible sources tops my teaching list of Things Not To Do in Journalism.

The last hour of the Today Show panders more and more to the seamy. Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford have a guest on one week, talking nicely about their latest project, then the following week, laugh at them and a trashy tabloid tale made up entirely or simply painted as sleazy.

Today’s segment on fashion for Women Over Fifty was aimed right at my demographic. So - what do I find instead of friendly advice? A complete lack of respect for women my age. It began well enough with a tip for a woman whose photo showed too much cleavage. But as the segment progressed, Hoda, Kathie Lee and the fashion expert revealed disdain for older women. They laughed at their models, their guest. And, by association, at me, also their guest. It felt like watching middle schoolers taunt lower classmen on the first day of school. I'm sure those volunteers felt embarrassed.

I finally turned off the TV in disgust when the "fashion expert" used the term "women of a certain age". The segment was "What Not to Wear After 50". Why not just say "women over fifty", without the sneer? Your hosts can't control what experts say, but they can lead by example. Instead, though they are both "older", they encouraged the lack of respect.

I don’t mind the fashion industry trying to "sell" current trends. But you can say the old style doesn't flatter, then complement the person on the "new" style in the "after" shots. Instead of taking the positive approach, this segment, promoted as a way older women could look better, created a negative atmosphere.

My only regret is that I didn't note advertisers of this segment so I could write them. Next time I will express my disappointment to people who sponsor a program that shows such disrespect.

I find it sad that one of our country's greatest resources, older citizens, are a source of amusement for your hosts, instead of being seen for their wisdom and life experience. Maybe they aren’t in the latest fashion, but perhaps they have no stylists choosing their wardrobe on a monthly budget that surely exceeds my annual clothing budget.

Shame on them. And shame on The Today Show for allowing the continual slip of journalism down the gossip path. I know it's not serious news, it’s the entertainment hour. That shouldn’t be an excuse for loss of journalistic integrity.

With sincere disappointment,

Cotton,

60,

Shallotte, North Carolina

Pffft! On those two twits!

[Cotton]

First gray hair.

Someone sitting behind me on the band bus when I was 16!!!

Had a short affair with hair color. Lasted about a year. Ended the relationship about 5 months ago and am now back to my trademark "It's Platinum, Darling"! heh (™My hairdresser for years in Greensboro.)

My hair is "Blindingly White"!

And

:013085001176249046:

In case you're not sure . . .

[playbiller]

Althought I stopped doing it years ago I used to use "castings" to mesh the random grey hairs with the blonde hairs. What t does s make the grey look like high lights. I did it to warm up the color of my hair which is exremely ashy and wanders between blonde and light brown depending on the light so while my hair was not grey it would phptpgraph as grey and that was not good. the positive was that it was a rinse and if I made a mistake like wanting bright red hair once I could just stand in the shower and shampoo shampoo sampoo until it was gone.

plus it only took 30 minutes that I could spend most of on the computer to complete.

[jmh123]

The Today show Pissed Me Off and I have been working on an email. Anybody else watch the last hour?! I finally couldn't get it any shorter. I have trouble with succinct! LOL!

Here's my email.

Dear Today Show Staff,

US broadcast news is increasingly disappointing. Using resources such as TMZ and Lavandeira (aka Perez Hilton) as reliable, credible sources tops my teaching list of Things Not To Do in Journalism.

The last hour of the Today Show panders more and more to the seamy. Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford have a guest on one week, talking nicely about their latest project, then the following week, laugh at them and a trashy tabloid tale made up entirely or simply painted as sleazy.

Today’s segment on fashion for Women Over Fifty was aimed right at my demographic. So - what do I find instead of friendly advice? A complete lack of respect for women my age. It began well enough with a tip for a woman whose photo showed too much cleavage. But as the segment progressed, Hoda, Kathie Lee and the fashion expert revealed disdain for older women. They laughed at their models, their guest. And, by association, at me, also their guest. It felt like watching middle schoolers taunt lower classmen on the first day of school. I'm sure those volunteers felt embarrassed.

I finally turned off the TV in disgust when the "fashion expert" used the term "women of a certain age". The segment was "What Not to Wear After 50". Why not just say "women over fifty", without the sneer? Your hosts can't control what experts say, but they can lead by example. Instead, though they are both "older", they encouraged the lack of respect.

I don’t mind the fashion industry trying to "sell" current trends. But you can say the old style doesn't flatter, then complement the person on the "new" style in the "after" shots. Instead of taking the positive approach, this segment, promoted as a way older women could look better, created a negative atmosphere.

My only regret is that I didn't note advertisers of this segment so I could write them. Next time I will express my disappointment to people who sponsor a program that shows such disrespect.

I find it sad that one of our country's greatest resources, older citizens, are a source of amusement for your hosts, instead of being seen for their wisdom and life experience. Maybe they aren’t in the latest fashion, but perhaps they have no stylists choosing their wardrobe on a monthly budget that surely exceeds my annual clothing budget.

Shame on them. And shame on The Today Show for allowing the continual slip of journalism down the gossip path. I know it's not serious news, it’s the entertainment hour. That shouldn’t be an excuse for loss of journalistic integrity.

With sincere disappointment,

Cotton,

60,

Shallotte, North Carolina

Pffft! On those two twits!

I love your e-mail!! It's beautifully written!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only change I would make is to pretend you do know the advertisers and say you will be writing them too, or else leave that part out altogether if you don't like to lie. (Because writing advertisers to complain is the only thing they fear.) Hoda and KL can bite me!! :bitch:

Send it please!!! It pisses me off just to read about this!!!

[RIFAN]

I am almost embarassed to admit this, but last night I broke down and took out the credit card, went over to Future Shop and bought myself a replacement iPod. I tried to stop myself, because I really can't afford it, but seriously, I felt as though someone had cut off my left arm or something. I was never without that thing, I wore it at work because my job is boring, I wore it every day when I took my walk at lunch, sometimes when I took the dog for a walk after work, I had the fm transmitter for use in the car....so I bit the bullet and bought the exact same one that was stolen, a black 80gb classic, with a leather case to keep it from getting scratched. This puppy will never be left in the car. I've learned my lesson. I synced it up as soon as I got it home (hee! 5230 songs or videos exactly) and it works like a charm. No problems with licences for my purchased music at all - guess that is only for transferring the files to a new computer. I took it to bed with me.

I was wondering how you could possibly survive without an iPod, because I know how attached you are to yours. I'm glad you got a new one!!

{{{Muskifamily}}}

I totally understand. A little over a year ago I dropped my "Claypod" on the tile floor and it was beyond repair. I was devasted --it had been my walking companion, my going to sleep companion, my companion while I did paperwork at school, and my housework companion. DH was so sweet--just said no sense in being upset and he got right on line and ordered me a new one. I love the new one. It is a nano and is smaller and holds more songs. I have over 100 Clay songs on it, but lately all I have played is the whole OMWH CD.

[jazzgirl]

Like a snoball down a mountain or a carnival balloon... Hee!

Scarlett, hee indeed! Someone did leave the cake out in the rain.

muskifamily :F_05BL17blowkiss: Hoping for the best with your MIL.

[FearofH2O]

muskifest, heres wishing for a quick rebound for MIL. I hope your husband is not too stressed.

[aikim]

Muski Sending best wishes for your MIL and your family!

Kim

[FromClaygary]

Muski, hope it turns out well for your MIL and family!

Good morning from Halifax!

Would you check on my kids for me while you're there? I haven't heard a word from either one of those buggers in ages. I can only assume that means they have money.

Can do! I'm good at the slap upside the head! :lmaosmiley-1: Just need to know which ONE of these un-named streets in this lovely city, they're on.....

I wonder if Clay has ever used Medium Brown #5.

I think it's a given! Is there a colour he has NOT used? :lmaosmiley-1:

Had a short affair with hair color. Lasted about a year. Ended the relationship about 5 months ago and am now back to my trademark "It's Platinum, Darling"! heh (™My hairdresser for years in Greensboro.)

My hair is "Blindingly White"!

SO glad to hear you're back to Cotton Top. It suits you very, very well.... :thbighug-1:

Loved the letter and the sentiment it expresses and I also vote for you to send it!...and the next time someone I don't know from Adam calls me "dear" I'm going to slap THEM upside the head!

Another one of the little disrespects that just peeves me to the nth.

[Cotton]

Oh, I sent it.

For all the good it'll do. Perhaps some little 18 year old intern will read it and think twice before she uses the phrase, "Women of a certain age"!

I know one damned thing. Clay Aiken would NEVER speak those words!

Especially not now!!

[gbmifan]

Muskifest - I hope everything goes well for you MIL.

I do not like it when someone who does not know me patronizes me with Dear or Honey. I know I am in my mid 50's but I do not feel that old or most of the time do not act like "a woman of certain age."

Hair color now that is a different story. I have always discribed my color as dishwater blonde. I use both low and highlights to cover the gray that is starting to appear. My sister is very blonde and she has three children who are toeheads. I always felt like my color was so dingy. That along with the fact that my hair is so straight. When I was a teenager it was great, my hair was to my waist and straight. The style was in, all my friends were ironing their hair, I just washed and combed. Now it is a real pain, when the humidity hits the hair style is lost. Perms are a joke, my hair will not take, even with the smallest rods, it usually last about 2 weeks.

Don't know how long I will be on, thunderstorms rolling through.

A week ago my husband wanted to burn some songs off my Keith Urban Greatest Hits CD, I pulled it out of the car and realized that the James Blunt Cd that I got from the library was in Keith's case. Called the library and was told that Blunt cd was taken out of the system because it was lost, I informed them I had it. They said no one turned in my Keith Urban Cd. Today the new cd we reordered arrived, I went to the library and took back the Blunt cd. After a little searching in some of their boxes we found my Keith Urban cd. Now I have two, It was not that good! that I needed two. I guess my husband will now have his own, he only wanted a couple of songs to begin with.

[Gibby]

I've been MIA from FCA for awhile! Hubby and I celebrated Labor Day weekend by going to a wine tasting festival in Albuquerque for the weekend. We had a lot of fun! It helped that we left our two daughters at home, cuz they're not old enough to be tasting wine - especially at the rate we were doing it! There were lots and lots of yummy wines. I bought some "Black Beauty" wine to bring home. It's a delicious, full-bodied red wine made with grapes and dark chocolate! YUMMMM!

We enjoyed the rolling mountains in New Mexico. They are quite a contrast to the jagged, rocky mountains in Colorado. Here's a view from Raton Pass:

And I had to take a picture of this sign as we were driving by. Too bad we didn't have time to go in and ask to talk to the owner! Heeee.

Just got a call from hubby. Mother in law in hospital with irregular heartbeat and renal failure...please send out good thoughts.

So sorry, Muski! My thoughts are with your mother in law. I hope your Mom is doing a bit better, too.

Lucky, how sad about your ipod! I don't blame you a bit for going out and buying another one. I wouldn't know what to do without my tunes and videos, either!

[liney23]

Good morning! Wishing Twinkies to anyone facing a crazy work week!!!

I have a whole unopened pack from the non-Gustav weekend (thankfully it turned out ok!) -- Soothes my soul for half an hour (well 5 hours for the enitre box)!!!

:nature-smiley-014:

Scarlett... freeze them, they taste like ice cream and cake. Loved them back in the day before I knew how terrible sugar is for your body... dang it!

Muski paces, determined NOT to get into a greasy hair discussion....Iseeme, you're ee-veel! heh.

Just got a call from hubby. Mother in law in hospital with irregular heartbeat and renal failure...please send out good thoughts.

muski... {{{{MIL and hubby and family}}}} Loriel Preference really is the best. I used it when I was out of work. Told my new boss when my hair started to lose it's blondish color that I was going back to my natural gray cause I HATED dying my hair! He just laughed. I know I'd look younger with it dyed, but it's just a royal pain to take care of.

You need to, tho. You are a very attractive women and your dark hair is gorgeous, so do your thing... with a better product! LOL

Cotton... good luck! Maybe Hannah will do a Gustav and go down down down to a Cat 2 or less. Sending vibes your way.

luckiest... sorry about your iPod. I got a new one with my points on my credit card, but I haven't really loaded anything on it yet and sure haven't listened to what synced on it when I plugged it in even once. I'm skeered of it.

I'm going on vacation in 2 weeks and am determined to get some stuff on there before I go!

[spikesmom]

{{{{{muskifamily}}}}}

Cotton - good for you! Very well written letter... it's really sad how things have changed... I find that I don't watch many, in fact, rarely any, of those shows any more...

First "gray" hair... 13... Mom found it and thought it was hysterical (she was coloring her hair at the time!)... when I was in my early 20s, I ran into someone I went to HS with and she wondered how I had it done - she thought I was highlighting or some such.... didn't start coloring my hair until I was edging right up to 40... now I'm starting to think about going natural again, whatever that may actually turn out to be... my "gray" hair was actually silver so I'm hoping it might actually look nice if I let it go... it's figuring out how to gracefully go natural versus having the skunk stripe cuz that would be soooooo attractive!

[annabear]

{{{muski family}}} Sending good thoughts your way.

Welcome back, Gibby!

I don't have any gray to cover - yet! - but I do occasionally color with a shade darker than my natural color because it tends to get brassy, especially in the summer. The last time I had coupon for Clairol's 'Perfect 10' and really liked it.

Now I'm really craving something sweet, but am trying to stay away from sugar!

[muskifest]

Thanks for all the well wishes for my MIL...just heard from hubby. The renal failure's been corrected---she was very dehydrated so the forced hydration fixed that. She's not in ICU so unless there's a setback, she should be able to go home in 48 hours. Another situation of the elderly needing more care than they can give themselves but more than she's willing to seek...I have a bad feeling about how this story will end.

On a brighter note---literally!---I woke up and washed my hair and when I had blow dried it, I actually liked it. There's a subtly darker hue to my already dark hair and most of the grey is covered...but the grey at the temple has been subdued so that it's not the first thing you see...kinda looks cool, actually. I've always resisted the hair dyeing thing....and still don't like the idea of totally coloring my hair. I read on the box after the fact that if you want just the grey to take on a lighter shade than your actual hair (rather than trying to cover the grey and make it your natural color)...you can use a color a couple of shades lighter...I might try that next!

Oh...and

Maybe Hannah will do a Gustav and go down down down to a Cat 2 or less

I am so perverted.

I read this and before I even got to the word "Cat", I had processed the following:

Hannah will go down down down...

And all I thought of was Hot Hannah Waddingham going down down down on....

what.

[luckiest1]

luckiest... sorry about your iPod. I got a new one with my points on my credit card, but I haven't really loaded anything on it yet and sure haven't listened to what synced on it when I plugged it in even once. I'm skeered of it.

I'm going on vacation in 2 weeks and am determined to get some stuff on there before I go!

Don't be skeered of it! It's your friend.

{{{muski & family}}}

[Cotton]

This storm is a fickle bitch!

The latest report has her making landfall in Horry (SC) or Brunswick (NC - US!!!) County. The good news is they are now projecting CAT 1.

But I'm not trusting the models much because she's turned completely on herself already! Path went in a complete circle!

So - no evacuations being called for. I think we'll be okay. DH just called me and he's stopping at Home Depot on the way home to check out generators again. If we lose power, we lose water! We have well water.

I can deal with no power, but no water if not fun!

I'm not worried.

I love rollercoasters!!!

[Iseeme]

Olla! (just had lunch at a Mexican restaurant!)

Muskiiiiiiiii - I am not eeevullll.....remember that picture I sent you??? You loved me then! I am sorry to hear about your mil. Renal failure is skeery. Does she live alone? Anyway - sending good thoughts that this will turn out okay.

Cotton - boy howdy! Loved the note. Loved it! And I'm glad you sent it. Kathy Lee Griffin should not be throwing stones in her glass house!!! Just saying! And you are so right about the state of journalism and reporting. We talk about it in terms of how Clay has been treated but that's just one example. It's like they'll do anything to sell a paper, up viewership, sell a mag.....no integrity at all! Last I looked, us baby-boomers made up a great percentage of the nation's population!!!

Heard from Clayanne and she's back at her house. The eye of Gustav did not touch down on their heads as predicted but they did incur some damage from the wind. And her kitties are okayyyyy.....(CG will be glad to hear that!)

Bwaahahah - Hannah going down! Shoot - as tall as she is she'd have to ...................uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, never mind!