#182...Lazarus Long on the right to vote and elections.

From the Notebooks of Lazarus Long, by Robert A. Heinlein

"If you are part of a society that votes, then do so.   There may be no candidates and no measures you want to vote for...but there are certain to be ones you want to vote against.  In case of doubt, vote against.  By this rule you will rarely go wrong.

If this is too blind for your taste, consult some well-meaning fool (there is always one around) and ask his advice.  Then vote the other way.  This enables you to be a good citizen (if such is your wish) without spending the enormous amount of time on it that truly intelligent exercise of franchise requires."

#181...daddio update

my cool dad did a little more digging into the cruising possibilities...looks like free parking wasn't the only factor...and decided to pass on this one..

and...he already is sitting in sunny weather, poolside...so at least we will be able to enjoy the sunshine together after all - just not in the same countries - s'ok...will try for next time...

 

                                         

#180...on emerald people.

Okay, so Ayn, with all of her lovely complexities reminded me of this poem.  I've met, and know many emerald people, and I suspect that my friend, Ayn (et all) is one as well. 

I feel fortunate our paths have crossed so serendipidiously.... 

                                  This is an excerpt from the poem
                                         entitled Emerald People
                                    and was written by Bobbi Murrow. 

"There are emerald people,
earthbound dreamers,
as simple and complex
as nature itself.
Often they go unnoticed,
like acres of Silver Queen corn
amid the bounty of summer fields,
so ordinary to the eye,
few imagine the diversity of treasures
and turbulence within.

Emerald people are the nuturers
standing in the shadow of the noble;
The creators,
distorting or giving reality to life
according to life's need.
Unseen, like the eye of the hurricane,
but with no less strength then the hurricane itself,
they are all around you..."

#179.....hmm. i am accused..

of pretending on having thoughts other than vacation.....uh-huh. no really.  go ahead, check it out for yourself over at ayn's place.

i mean, what...just cause i comment a little here...comment a little there...add a pic here.....

hey..wait a minute...

#178.....born 2 blog?

well that, amongst other things...

#177...best movie line insult..

from Monty Pyton and the Holy Grail:

"Your mothahr vas ah hampster! en yewr fathahr smelt of elderberries!!!"

ah, those french....

(run away! run away!)

#176....on fermionic condensate, and insurance rates.

so john scalzi alerted us to this news item in a recent posting...scientists create new form of matter-

"The new matter form is called a fermionic condensate and it is the sixth known form of matter -- after gases, solids, liquids, plasma and a Bose-Einstein condensate, created only in 1995.

"What we've done is create this new exotic form of matter," Deborah Jin, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology's joint lab with the University of Colorado, who led the study, told a news conference.

"It is a scientific breakthrough in providing a new type of quantum mechanical behavior," added Jin.

"It is related to a Bose-Einstein condensate," Jin said. "It's not a superconductor but it is really something in between these two that may help us in science link these two interesting behaviors.

....They cooled potassium gas to a billionth of a degree C above absolute zero or minus 459 degrees F -- which is the point at which matter stops moving. " (unless you're driving a car on it)

 

they call this new science?  hell, we've known about fermionic condensate for years in these parts - it's called black ice - try driving on it...it's a superconductor allright - just ask my insurance agent...

tsk...cooling things to that degree is a daily occurrence if you live here in the northeast..

#175......hmmm.

current weather at St. Lucia  - 83 degrees...fair skies...

current weather at floralilialand - 25 degrees....fair skies.

gee, where would I rather be.....hmmm. 

hauling anchor (and ass) in T minus 23 days and counting..

#174........EEEW!

okay, so just how does one go about cleaning up a street full of whale guts?...and not just ordinary whale guts - this was decomposing necrotic whale guts that spewed all over the place while en route to an autopsy.....can you even imagine?...

                                           

click here for the full story....and picture--------> thar she blows!

#173....cruise update. the official daddio response.

well, after much deliberation - cool daddio would go on the cruise with us - IF we were leaving from Miami - the reason:  parking is free there. 

i suppose in the octogenerian world - that is considered perfectly reasonable logic...

scratching my head....

 

#172.....more Nancy Drew advice for life

"After receiving an electric shock to the system, find as many men as possible to vigorously massage you."

~Mystery of the Glowing Eye

(gasp! - Nancy!)

#171......the mysterious V

hmm...how bout that....the miss-terious "V" has posted in the official guestbook ....very mysterious, lurking in the corner like that...

                                                                             - very mysterious indeed.

(but thanks for the compliments!)

of course, you know what that means...why, it's time for more sleuthing advice from our gal Nancy...

 

#170....cruise update.

my cool daddio is now thinking of coming aboard too...

will he? or will he not?

 

stay tuned....

#169...okay, i'm back.

back from the official work weekend - thanks to all who visited the holy journal of pointless posting and kept the conversation going..

whew, well..let's see..what to update...what to update...hmmm...

how bout the weather?...well, golly gee - imagine that - more snow..and more friggin frigid temperatures....schools closed and mysterious snowmobilers racing through my back yard at twelve o'clock at night. 

gee, nothing like the silence of the dead of night smashed to pieces by a caravan of snowmobilers who have no regard for other people's private property....  forgive me, but i seem to have scenes of wyle e coyote running through my head right now -

is it a sin to clothesline unsuspecting snowmobilers or lay spiked chains in their path?  how bout a shotgun tied to a trip wire? a case of TNT (acme brand) disguised as a snow mogol? how about an anvil balanced dangerously close to the edge of a tree limb - which could "accidently" dislodge from the slightest sound (like a racing snowmobile) waves?...a huge snowmobile collecting pit (acme brand) loosely covered by pine needles? an garden hose accidentally left on to form a snowmobile path ice slick?  

sigh. what's a coyote to do.....

 

                                                                              meep. meep....

 

#168...and then there were ten...

How fun is this cruise going to be?  My sister, Shuzan and her family decided to join  in the festivities and booked the same cruise with us!..

 I wonder what evilness lies ahead....

....Royal Caribbean will not be the same, once we're done with them....

hmm, I smell some new Lucy and Ethel episodes brewing..

 

Wooo-Hoo!   CAR-RI-BBE-AN here we come!...

 

                                          

#167...all systems go. let the clicks begin anew.

well, will you just look at that...

                                          Here ye! Here ye!

Let it be known to all who enter here - that the Official Counter Box is officially again in service thanks to the good and noble techs of AOL. 

Let it also be known to all, that the official odometer mileage reading must have passed the zillion mark to have rolled over and reset itself to zero...

or-

The official cleaning lady (and i'm not naming names) messed up the odometer files inadvertently while cleaning out the FTP space...(with the latter probably being the more accurate of the two.)

now, having said all that, let the onslaught of clicks begin anew, and the games continueth.

 

                                                        thank you.

 

                       this has been a royal service announcement.

 

 

#166...quiet everyone, cuzauntie snookie has a question...

So, the infamous cuzsnookie left this question on one of my gripe posts about the eagles. She writes:

"You think you have troubles..... Has anyone ever heard of the Phoenix Cardinals? We're giving them a new stadium too ... and they don't even make the playoffs....."
Comment from snookinaz - 1/22/04 1:03 AM "

hmm, the Phoenix Cardinals....hmm....

nope, Cuzauntie, can't say I ever heard of that team. 

but maybe one of our readers has -

but to answer your second question regarding the stadium - well, of course, dahling,  - it is so the mysterious phoenix cardinals can kick you in your teeth too, in style.

(tsk...And some people wonder why philly fans don't have teeth...)

#165..well, the cruise is hereby & officially booked..

Okay, so I took Mark Twain's advice (see previous entry) and booked a cruise to the Southern Caribbean for the family.   

Now some of you might think it was mighty impulsive of me to go and do something like that after reading just one quote, and on the surface - you would be right. 

And I'm pretty sure Mark Twain didn't mean to literally throw off bowlines and set sail, but I figured - hey, why not kill two birds with one stone?

So to come clean, I must admit that we had been in the process of booking a cruise, mostly to get out of the cold, but also as early graduation presents for our children - (one from college, two from high school)   We figured it would probably be the last time we would be able to get away as a family - before they each get caught up in their careers and studies and boyfriends or girlfriends.

Now, here is where that quote made the difference...up until that time I had been feeling a little queazy about spending all that money, dragging the kids out of school, missing time from work, getting into a bathing suit again with my winter white skin, fretting over who will feed kitty and miss luci-fer, or water the plants, plane crashes, bomb-threats, snowstorms and small suitcases - you know, all the little things that keep parents up at night.

or more precisely, all the little reasons why we shouldn't or couldn't or wouldn't....

and then I read that quote, from a journaler whom I never heard from before. and I wonder why she posted. and i checked out her site, and then

 I knew why.

and I slept well last nite, cause it made me realize there will always be reasons why we couldn't, or shouldn't, or wouldn't. And worse, in 20 years, I really would regret it.

I know this is not a new concept - but for once, the timing was just right. 

                                       

#164...20 years from now..

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
                                    ~Mark Twain

How perfect.    

Just came across this quote while looking at a fellow journaler's site - a couple of nomads by adlessor . 

Thank you!

Righto, that settles it. I'm booking a cruise, right now, dammit. 

#163...and voila - the ball was punted..

"Ms. M: I will pass your comments along to NG Television & Film,
which produced the program.
Best wishes.
CL Stroud
National Geographic Magazine"

heh heh heh...she must just love viewers like me....

 

#162.....the official rebuttal ending or (part 3eth)

 

....Unfortunately for us, (but fortunately for him), I feel this is where Allen saw his chance to come in from out of the cold...I could just see his wheels turning:

  "Hmm..if I lose my tracks, and so then my dogs, and have to "hunker" down for a nite "alone" - I could then have time to rethink my priorities and decide to return home by realizing that my dogs lives are as important or more important than my own life.  Hey! then I could kill two birds with one stone by appeasing the dog loving viewers that hate me because I ate my pet dog in the Amazon, (and boy, did I receive a lot of hate mail on that one!) then I could appeal to the human angle by showing them that I really do have a softspot (but I hope they didn't notice that I did not stop to detangle the one dog's leg from the chains while we were mushing earlier)....why yes! that could work swimmingly!  I can then have my crew radio home to tell them we will be back by 4 for afternoon tea and finger sandwiches!  Sounds like a plan, by Jove!...Great - now I can get the hell out of this godforsaken place...." 

Somehow, I missed where he looked profoundly relieved to see his dogs again, to me he just kinda sighed....but  even more - I had to wonder why not one of the dogs even bothered to get up or wag their tails to greet their long "lost" master... I guess they must have felt fat and lazy after just cooking themselves breakfast... 

As you can see, this letter is getting as ridiculous as the show was. In any regard, I think you get a general feeling of my distaste for this kind of staged sensationalism.  Hopefully, if you were to review it again - some of these points might also become painfully evident to you too - please consider this the next time Benedict Allen comes to you with a new stunt and asks you to finance it - or worse, ask us to believe it.  

Really, it would have been a really good show if he just said in all honesty - that even he underestimated the odds and dangers inherent to this kind of adventure.  I would have way more respect for the guy, and your program. 

Sincerely,  

Andrea M.

ultimate armchair explorer.

#161...the official rebuttal continueth (part 2eth)

Certainly, and more importantly while "exploring" alone -  rule Number 1 - should be (and he as much said) to never leave your dogs, especially dogs that may run away from you - (remember now, they had wanted to turn back from the get go..) and rule Number 1a, should be to never leave your equipment - because food and shelter might be a priority in subfreezing weather.....but...I guess rules are meant to be broken, especially when you are trying to fabricate an exciting adventure. 

So - surprise- we find that Allen got himself lost some 200 paces or so from his dogsled....Hmm..200 paces is about from here to the end of my driveway.  I think, even with a white-out situation, I pretty much would be able to find my way back.   If not by the sound of my dogs...or their "smell of raw walrus meat breath" - then by the ice configurations -  ie: landmarks - but just to be really sure, I would have taken the dogs with me...but hey, that's just me. 

And here is another strange thing:  Allen claims he first noticed being able to smell raw walrus meat....or more precisely, raw walrus meatbreath from his ten dogs off in the distance.  Hmmm,  being able to smell the dogs breath - implies that they would have eaten recently.  I knew the dogs were skilled at surviving in that kind of environment, but I am impressed they also knew how to unpack, defrost and eat their own breakfast...  

Even my dog has killer bad breath, but come on - I'm pretty sure I can't smell it from 200 paces - even if there were ten of her....Well now, this tall tale just gets curiouser and curiouser by the minute, doesn't it?...

(and yes, this saga still continueth even moreth...)

#160..of course, an official rebuttal to National Geographic

Dear Ms. Stroud,  

Thank you for the courtesy of a reply to my letter. However, it did nothing to change my opinion of what I viewed for myself on that program.  I will give you the benefit of doubt that perhaps it was just bad editing, or bad writing that gave the impression that we viewers were duped into the plights of Benedict Arnol...er, Allen. Having said that, however, there are a few points that perhaps you should consider investigating further.   

It seems to me that Allen, would have been a bit on edge, having all his senses hightened from a natural flow of adreneline and increased anxiety. Even the most "seasoned" explorers would agree that that kind of anxiety is helpful when in survival mode.  Allen was the first to admit and freely voice his fears about his dogs, and his authority over them, and the very nature of his task at hand - numerous times throughout the show.   Therefore, days number one and two should have found him to be at his most cautious - if ever he could let his guard down during the dangerous solo journey.  But was that the case? Simply, no.  

Allen, with all his expertise, decided to venture off - alone - without taking his dogs with him - to go look for a safe crossing path.  I suppose he prided himself on being able to memorize the path over the uneven terrain, during bad weather conditions, to tell the dogs how to go once he figured it out...but then, that would also ask him to remember how to get back to the dogs...  

A prudent person - would keep a constant check on his surroundings and his place from the dogs.  But is that the case here?  Again the answer is -simply, no. 

Hmmm...somehow the math here does not add up... 

Now, sudden snowstorms should be nothing new to Allen having had just completed some serious time, crossing a thousand or so practice miles with his Chukchi guides.  In fact, he should have expected them, and remained vigilant to all of the dangers that he might face.

continued..... 

#159....gasp! a response from National Geographic..

"Dear Ms. ( M.xxxxxxx)

We thank you very much for your email regarding "Ice Dogs."

Rest assured, none of Benedict Allen's plight in the Arctic was
fabricated. What he experienced was harrowing, and it was real.

I grant you that the dogs appear to have been found at the base of a
prominent hill. The dogs, however, had moved in the night, so that
particular formation would not have helped Allen in his initial efforts
to locate the team. Even if he had purposefully left the dogs at the
base of a ridge (which he did not), Allen would have been in a fix: He
was surrounded by several prominent pressure ridges and because of
gusty, snowy weather conditions (not "clear skies," unfortunately) upon
separation would have been unable to discern one from the other.

Allen reports that when he was about 200 paces from the dogs, a gust of
wind blew snow in his eyes and disoriented him. Another gust wiped out
his tracks. He marked his spot and then began arcing around looking for
tracks. He started to become anxious, tired and terribly thirsty, making
his situation only worse. Eventually, he decided to hunker down for the
night.

The next morning, Allen says he "smelled this smell, and I began going
towards it and it was the smell of raw walrus and it was the breath of
ten dogs effectively. And these dogs had waited for me." The relief you
see in the film is profound--and again quite genuine.

We here at National Geographic value the input of viewers such as
yourself immeasurably. Concerns like yours have helped us shape and
uphold our standards over the years. We hope this note helps restore
your faith in us.

Kindest regards,
CL Stroud
National Geographic"

gee, and since when can you smell frozen walrus meat...to those of you lost, like Benedick Allen was - see my entry #154 Ice Dogs.

#158...time for some more Nancy Drew logic..

"When forging a letter to nab a perp, (nab a perp! whoa Nancy!), be sure to use grammar and spelling appropriate to the education level of the person you are impersonating."

~The Ghost of Blackwood Hall

#157....zut alors! c'est manifique!

check out this site - totally fun. totally cool.

i wish i had the time to browse through all of the artwork...

            click here---------->    Mr. Picassohead

#156..wait - it gets even better...

Well apparently Congratulations are now officially in order for the eagles.

....really? why? you might ask-

because we are now the proud owners of the somewhat dubious title of being the only team in history of  losing two consecutive home playoff games - in the struggle for the superbowl.

well now, isn't that special...

ooh! and boy oh boy, am I glad we spent all that money on the new stadium too- at least now we can get kicked in the teeth -  in style...

gee, thanks.

way to NOT go eagles.

#155...the eagles SUCK!

wait - i can call this game in three notes...

the

eagles

suck!

how many eagles does it take to tackle one carolina panther - well, apparently, six isn't enough....seven? eight? eleven maybe?

well, I for one, will never know - and more importantly, don't care - I tuned them right out - before the game is over.

they don't deserve to win this game...to win the superbowl - you have to be the best, not simply "good enough" to make it there.

let's go carolina panthers!!

#154...Re: Ice Dogs - National Geographic Ultimate Explorer

 Ice Dogs - this show prompted me to write the producers of National Geographic Ultimate Explorer... it went something like this: 

"Dear Sirs:

Congratulations. Your recent show entitled Ice Dogs, prompted me to write my first angry protest letter to a producer. It would have been more appropriate if you titled it thusly:   Benedict Allen or Benedict Arnold? Ultimate Explorer Wannabe.  It soon became evident that this was a staged expedition with no intention of truly setting out to finish the goal...all hype and no real substance.  

I didn't believe for a minute that he got lost, or filmed alone, especially for being such a "seasoned" explorer - if he truly did - he hasn't learned a darn thing from all his years of "exploring"...his schtick is always trying to look like the novice - getting himself into jams and ...then, "surprise" - surviving.  Sorry, I didn't buy it for a minute. Quite frankly, I'm angry that you even thought your viewers would buy into this sham.

It would have been much better, more educational, and way more believeable, if the infamous Benedict Allen just admitted from the get go that he found himself in way over his head once he understood the difficulties of such a dangerous and foolish solo trek. Clearly, he is not as "brave" as he wants people to keep imagining....he is just an entertainer, and a lousy one at that.

The dogs were obviously onto him too... most of the time they sat there looking like bored stagehands, having to do retake after retake..."throw me a frickin bone here, benedict" I could just hear them all saying....I swear I even saw one of them roll their eyes at him. 

I thought the integrity of National Georgraphic Explorer was seriously jeopardized by this "explorer" wannabe and more surprised that you gave the green light on this one.  I will be hesitant to watch future shows now that you think you need to glamourize or sensationalize them just for television ratings. If I wanted that kind of program I can watch "Survivor" on a regular basis. (I don't.) Thanks for underappreciating and underestimating the intelligence of your serious viewers...click."    

#153...looks like i screwed up the counter..

messing with the stupid ftp space...

i just lost amost 3000 hits...

#152...okay...starting to figure out this ftp space..

not sure if this is working..but here goes..

#151....to remind myself

January 16, 2004  2:17 a.m. 

current temperature:  2 degrees

winds howling with 40mph gusts.

wind chill:   -16 degrees.

 

...shivering...

 

#150...on being cranky..

It's 9:24 am and  I already have a headache- that, kind readers, is never a good way to start the day. I don't know about you, but headaches make me cranky, well, crankier than usual anyway.

 I could blame it on the kids, or the husband, or the pets, or work, or lack of sleep, or lack of food, or January, or post-christmas-let-down blues, or the cold, or lack of the sun.

but today we do have the sun, a very sunny sun, but it is just shining there - mocking us.  how? you might ask..well,  how about a high today of...um...about 11 degrees.  factor in the wind chill and well, we're at a balmy minus 11 degrees. oh joy. oh rapture. oh frostbitten fingers...  

squinting...and to add further insult to injury - the sunlight is bouncing really loudly off of the new snowfall we got last nite. all that bouncing light has seared my retina's. sun-seared retinas makes my brain hurt really bad, and it probably would yours too. 

so see, if you walked around all day at T minus 11 degrees, with sun-seared retinas, and a brain that hurts - you'd be cranky too.

 of course i look nothing like him---->

#149...hmmm.

"..the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us..."

                                             ~Bill Watterson  Calvin& Hobbes

#148...Nancy Drew Accoutrements

"Owning your own Key making machine can be quite handy, and a compact one can be stored out of sight under the sink so as not to clash with your decor."

~The Phantom of Pine Hill

sigh...I can only wish to be as sleuthy as she....

#147...my dad is cool.

okay, so i get an email the other night - from none other than my 80 something dear ol' dad.  he wanted me to take note of his new email address, and the fact that he finally decided to jump into the AOL pool. how cool is that? 

almost as cool as being the first guy to wear a nehru jacket to church - and help take up the collection in it....i was proud of him then, and even more proud of him now.

say what you will about these new fangled contraptions -  it's a great way to keep in touch with your family regardless of the time, the miles, or having to turn the hearing aids up!   

i think he deserves the official floralilian adventurer award, don't you?

 

                    

                                                                                            daddio!

#146....you be the judge

nope, not gonna touch it.

nope, not saying a word.

#145...and people said he was wasting his time, too..

"...so I am continuing in my life of ignorance, though there is one thing I do know:  within a few years I must accomplish work of a certain order; I do not need to be in too much of a hurry, because no good comes of that - but I must go on working calmly and quietly, with as great a regularity and composure as possible, and as much to the paint as possible; the world is my concern only insofar as I have a certain debt and obligation, so to speak - because I have been wandering about this world these thirty years - to leave a certain something in memory of me behind, drawings or paintings, (or writings) out of gratitude - not made in order to gratify some fashion or other but to express an honest human feeling. 

That work, then, is my objective...And that is how I see myself - as a man who must produce something with a heart and love in it, within a few years, and who must produce it by willpower....something has to be created in these years, this thought is my guiding light whenever I draw up my plans for my work...."

                                                                        ~Vincent Van Gogh,

                                                             from a letter to his brother, Theo.

 

ah vincent, if you could only see yourself now....

#144...on Fang Shui, by Catfucius

"There is great disorder in the heavens - but the cat still naps."

Catfucius says:  "The wise cat knows how to be in harmony with it's environment.  This is the essence of feng shui.  A cat enlightened in the ways of feng shui knows how to manipulate its environment to ensure the maximum flow of ch'i (life force).  If the cat's desires are met, excellent ch'i is achieved.  When the need of humans and cats coincide, peace and harmoney will prevail. 

When the needs of humans and cats clash (however) - peace and harmony will prevail -- for the cat."

....go ahead cat people - deny it.

#143...an update, for the official record.

so, for anyone who has been paying attention (as far as their old brains will let them, anyway) i commented on "optimizing" my aol "experience" with the 9.0 version -

                                                      Here

the official update, for the official record, (but only for today, mind you) - has to be:

Hmm. so far, so good.

#142...why

hasn't anyone signed the official final proclamation dammit? 

   Part3eth

i can tell my subjects are not paying attention.  there will be hell to pay...

 

#141...Nancy Drew on sleuthing 101

"Spend time at the gym to build upper body strength.  Detective work may require fending off a vicious hair pulling."

~the thirteenth pearl

a girl can never have too many pearls...of wisdom, that is. 

 

#140....on the official guestbook.

Here Ye!  Here Ye!

The Official Guestbook is now up and running (but not very far) from the Official Journal, officially.

Please be sure to scribble in it at your earliest convenience.

If the Queen of Pointless Posting finds you in good standing (or sitting) you will be duly notified.  For those of you unaware, receiving a good standing (or sitting) status, qualifies you to officially attach said membership, (in the Official Pointless Posting Society) to your official resume. 

 For those of you looking for a job - this may, or may not help your chances of finding employment.  For those of you presently employed, or those of you who do not ever care to be employed, consider it ...well...an official bonus.

thank you.

#139...hurry - you only have until 1/31/04

okay, so I just stumbled on this link for a new tv show and they are looking for submissions - go ahead...enter!

"What would you do if you had 72 hours, $3,000 and one dream?

Discovery Channel is searching nationwide to find America's most imaginative dreamers for a new series called No Opportunity Wasted. That is, we're looking for you. "

                                   click this link for more info:  NOW

hurry! the submission deadline is the end of this month - 1-31-04.

good luck!

#138...am i the only one to wonder...

....am i the only one to wonder if the inspiration to fold up the Mars rover - Spirit - so that it could fit into the pod came from all those nerds playing with their Transformer toys as kids...

i mean, really - this rover is a lot bigger than the one launched and landed in the 70's...one of the big problems this team was faced with was how to fold up the new rover so that it could fit inside of the original pod design from the 70's..

while watching the Nova special tonight about the challenges they faced with this launch - it suddenly occurred to me that they didn't solve that problem using their MIT educations...it came from the hours of folding up and unfolding their toy robot/airplane/racingcars..

hmm...gives new meaning to the words..."men will be boys"...

in any regard - i am damn proud of them.  no small feat indeed - landing on a small spot a few million miles away...and then having E.T. phone home..

 

#137....ah, isn't that romantic.....

britneyspearsgotmarried - an excerpt:

"Spears, 22, and Jason Allen Alexander, 22, reportedly tied the knot at 5 a.m. Saturday morning in the Little White Wedding Chapel, a famous Vegas spot for quickie weddings.

Spears wore jeans and a baseball cap. Her groom was similarly casually dressed. No family or friends were in attendance.

According to People.com, the couple apparently decided to get married Friday night while partying at the Ghostbar, an ultra-hip nightspot in the Palms Casino Hotel. They went to the wedding chapel sometime after midnight but were turned away for lack of a wedding license. They then went to Vegas city hall, got the necessary paperwork, went back to the chapel and became man and wife. "

and now she is in the process of getting it annulled.

good gracious britney asparaguspears....wasn't that special.

i hope jason allen alexander asparaguspears has a good lawyer and gets palimony for being your little chump.

she is definately my nomination for being Twit of the Year.

#136...calling all nominations.

The pencils are sharpened and tablets are ready - check out illusionsofgrandeur journal for all the latest on submitting nominations and links to some of the best journals on aol, and the web. If all goes well, the community will be able to vote for their fav's...

and another bonus - it's a pretty nice little site in and of itself...fast paced, informative and entertaining and has some nice use of graphics -  

#135...hmm,...what would happen

ifidecidednottoaddspacestothispost?canyoustillreadit?itsureisannoyinghuh?

#134...Mars touchdown.

damn, they're good!  

for updates, check out  marsrover .

 Can't wait to see what they find..

#133...a Nancy Drew survival tip:

"If you hear the telltale sounds of a helicopter, step away from a blaze in the fireplace.  The copter might send a downdraft into the chimney and shower sparks all over your sleek coif."

~The Mystery of the 99 Steps.

theofficialsite

gotta love that girl....

#132...Part 3eth officially, and the final proclamation.

To those who do chooseth to participate, know there is safe haven here. Just do not, however, become an emotional drain, and suck the life out of the group or do any really weird stalking kind of thingeths, because then i might have to call upon mine uncle guido, and his cohort, "jimmy da thumbs". (dont ask). 

Let it also be known to all, that there just might be opportunities for thou to expandeth thy horizons and have chance encounters with the unusual and interesting, as long as everyone's immunizations are up to date. Naturally, politeness and general good manners should always prevail, except, of course, when they shouldn't....

In closing, proper grammar and punctuation, should always be attempted even for the weak and feeble minded, except of course, when thou does not feel like it. Naturally, special dispensation and forgiveness for the glaring lack of capitalizations and contractions must be granted by you - to me - for the most part, because well, oft times i am just too lazyeth to shifteth the keyeths.

ewe might be too.

come now, pull up thy own seating arrangementeth, and let the games continueth... 

P.S.eth: if thou does so agreeth to this petitioneth, please place thy signature beloweth.

i bid thee thankeths.

(perhaps i should have that lispeth looked into...)

#131...Part 2eth, officially..

And for all of those curiously concerned, the birthing process was free of any unnatural drugs or devices, save an old computer and bowl of vanilla ice cream. (with ice cream naturally, being eternally inspiring.) no trees, or whales were ever harmed in the process.....to reiterate: 

"In short, i am happy to be here.
                         not just here, on aol, but here.

you know...in the grand scheme of things.
                                                                        I hope you are too."

 Therefore, feel freeth, kind community, to drop by unannounced, whenever said randomness grabs hold of ye, and enter your random thoughts randomly or otherwise, or voices, or real estate (but heavens, not small children) whenever the inspiration screams loudly to be let loose from you unto the masses via this forum.  And if thou doth rather desire to lurk in the background and act as a voyeur...well, that is okay too.   Just please be kind, and wash your hands often and especially afterwards....(continueth)

#130...the official RENEWAL notice, anno domini MMIV.

Here ye! Here ye! Let it be known to all that doth verily and unwarily enter here, that on this day, the 2nd of January, anno domini y2k+4, that there doth verily continue the said journal starteth of lasteth year, and also that said journal was most graciously enriched with some minor renovations. (for those of you who hadn't noticed.) 

Let it also be known to all, that this conception, which was wholly and randomly inspired, albeit though modern marketing techniques, but thankfully not physically inseminated (because well, that would be just toooo weird), by the mongul company AOL; was jointly entered into freely and (obviously free of contraceptives) with complete disregard to thought and ramifications that said journal might taketh from mine future free time and sanity, but so be it.  

Furthermore, let it also be known to all, that from these curious actions, the conception between mind and mongrel, er mogul, grew rapidly and was inevitably birthed thusly in a matter of mere minutes by the good graciousness of the technology of AOL, and by me hitting a few designated keys; which sometimeth worketh, and sometimeth does not worketh. But lo, do not let those minor inconveniences stop thee from creating thy very own journal. A fervent wish by the way, of the author, Floralilia. (continueth..)