What's Your Name? Who's Your Daddy?

Happy Halloweenie! Halloween is my favorite holiday besides my birthday, which has not yet gotten National, let alone International, recognition. I love costumes. I love candy. I love being given permission to roam around the neighborhood, in a costume, requesting candy at places where the porch light is on. I mean, what better way could there be to celebrate?

 

In honor of this Hump Day Halloween, let us celebrate the grotesque, the alarming, and the funny with a Zombie-themed Choose and Defend Wednesday!  Zombies are pretty big right now. Between a score of classic and not-so classic movies, tv shows like The Walking Dead, and books such as World War Z, zombie fans can always have a good time.  But Choose and Defend Wednesday is about a choice. And here is yours. Which of these two zombie movies is more to you...uh, taste?

 

Dawn of the Dead  

 

OR

Shawn of the Dead

 

You know the drill.  Choose one and then Defend your choice righteously in comments! Tell it to me slowly...Tell you what I really want to know.... (cue killer organ solo)

 

Happy Hallowe'en!!!  

This Musical Message is For a Cold Wind Blew Right Up My Spine

Leave a Message and I'll Call You Back

Hope you are all having a glorious Saturday. Mine is being spent at work. So...not glorious, but certainly busy and I'm making myself useful.  Today's Saturday Scavenger Shots word was chosen by Tara, ruler of Eclectic Spaghetti.  The word she chose is WEB. I thought that was a great word! Very evocative of the season and of the place where we all hang out together :)

Oh, what a tangled WEB we weave, when first we practice to deceive. I enjoy the truth and visceral reality of that quote. It certainly speaks to why I so seldom bother to lie. I'd like to think it was all about morality...but really, I am just bad at keeping that WEB untangled.

Here are a couple of WEB photos. There are bound to be tangles.

Here is a bag of fake spider WEB complete with plastic spiders. I have it on my desk at work, in preparation for decorating the Imagination Theater for my Trick or Treat programs. It just isn't Halloween without a great big spider WEB! 

Can you see the WEB in this photo? It wasn't a very neatly done one, but for a good couple of weeks DR and I enjoyed this spider and his WEB. He built it rather near the couch, which is near the door.  We came to think of the spider as a bit of a pet and there was something so interesting about watching how excited he'd get when he caught a fly. He'd scurry right over and begin wrapping it up in his WEB. This spider disappeared at some point. I admit, though, that we haven't brushed away his WEB just yet.

I will say that, in general, I'm not a huge fan of WEBs. I like the idea that spiders eat pests, but I don't like how their WEBs make the house look unkempt if they aren't swept away. And I don't like being surprised by accidentally walking into a spider WEB. I have screamed in a very high pitched way and flapped about when meeting one with my face on my travels :)  

Of course, when I learned what the word was this week, I thought of the world wide WEB where we blog and visit with one another. So, as you look at my blog, consider the whole thing a third photo for this week's word :)

Enjoy the rest of October...the end is nigh! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, so I look forward to that particular ending.

All My Life You're Haunting Me

Today we will have an easy and delicious Choose and Defend Wednesday. I feel like something sweet. Maybe because Halloween is on the way.  Maybe because I just like sweet things. Who's to say?

Here are a couple of sweet Autumn treats. Which do you prefer and why?

Candy Corn

OR

Caramel Apples

You may not have had this experience, but I have found that people tend to have rather strong positive or negative reactions to these two particular treats. Do you? Let's talk about it! Choose and Defend!

Ruminations on Football

Well...more like ruminations on football players.  As you know, I am not really a sports enthusiast. Still, it seems I have voluntarily brought a man into my home who enjoys watching football. Huh. On a positive note, he seems to focus on NFL games. If we had to do college ball too...

Well, in the interest of fairness (he sort of watches my competitive dancing shows with me) I sat yesterday for the first full game I'd sat through in a really long time.  For the record, it was the Jets / Patriots game.  I had no horse in the race, but found myself rooting for the Jets just because I grew tired of the way the camera sought out Tom Brady's face at every possible moment.  I like to think my sponsorship is what led to their near victory...that is to say, defeat, in sudden death overtime.

Anyway, for the sake of family harmony, I am going to try to enjoy football. Why not? I think, like anything else, if you watch a few episodes and get to know some of the characters, you can find yourself being drawn in to it. I don't yet have a favorite team or teams, but perhaps one or two will grow on me. Living in Los Angeles leaves me teamless. The Rams left so long ago. Some people around here have stuck with the Raiders, but they strike me as kind of ghetto for some reason...and not just because they are from Oakland now! But they seem to attract a thuggish crowd. DR likes the Steelers. Secret Agent Man favors the Eagles. Social Animal has been a Packers fan since he was a small boy. Will I come to love a team as they do? I can only dare to dream :)

I do have some concerns though. Football is a contact sport played by mostly enormous men. I understand quite a few of the players have ended up with brain damage and many other permanent injuries from playing. Also, I saw some kind of report about how a number of the guys who are required to be walls to play, keep eating the same after they retire and quickly become dangerously obese. This is all disturbing. I guess many sports have a definite price that comes with playing. Aside from combat sports, boxing in particular, I doubt there are many much more damaging than football. So I guess if I watch, I will have all that on my conscience as well!

Yesterday evening I did what I thought was a witty post to Twitter about how football players remind me of toddlers. In their uniforms with the pads and natural physical roundness, round bellies and butts...their oversized heads looming...their cocky walks...the way they're all so grabby....and so fearless with their physical well being. I couldn't say all of that, because you know, 140 characters. Anyway, no one responded, so maybe I am alone in this thought. Alternatively (and more likely) people who watch football regularly noticed this a long time ago and are embarrased for me for just noticing :)

Wish me luck on my quest for a new interest. Feel free to discuss your innermost emotions about football as well! I'm listening.

This Musical Message is For This Will All Blow Over in Time

We Are Fixed Right Where We Stand

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT! Okay...just channeling my inner Bay City Rollers there. A good many of you will be too young to appreciate such nonsense. And the rest of you will have the good taste to ignore it :)

Anyway, it is indeed Saturday and thus time for our Saturday Scavenger Shots. This week the word was chosen by yours truly. I will just go ahead and admit that I chose it for its ease and adaptability. VIEW. I mean, you can't actually go at all wrong there, can you?  No, you can't.

Here are a couple of my favorite VIEWs -

With this VIEW I feel like my world is wide open to all sorts of adventures and new lessons. In my VIEW, being around stacks of books each day helps to keep me sane and happy.

 

I'm guessing you had to know this was coming. Cutest VIEW in the world! VIEWing their little faces makes me so happy

 and melts my cold, dark heart.

 

 

Thanks very much for stopping in to VIEW today's post. I hope that you are enjoying a fine VIEW from wherever you are right now. Let your gaze wander to the pleasing, the relaxing, the things that bring you joy.

 

She is a busy woman, but I am going to go ahead and tag Tara to choose next week's word. If anyone else ever has a desire to jump in on us three active participants and throw in a suggestion, I'm sure we'd welcome it! 

 

I've Turned My Cheek

Choose and Defend Wednesday. Don't think I've forgotten about you! If it wasn't for my regular features, my blog my whither away. It is funny...I have plenty to say, but lately when I think of blogging my thoughts I get a bad case of brain freeze. But Choose and Defend Wednesday comes to my rescue.

This week, I am going to let you rid yourself of some of the inconvience in your life. It is within your power! Which one of these two things will you eliminate?

Bad Drivers

OR

Long Lines

 

So, there you go. Just a couple little things to make your life more pleasant. And you can Choose one! And you can tell us why (Defend)!  Thank you for Choosing and Defending and helping to keep my blog alive :)

This Musical Message is For Hey, Buy the Rights

Head Over Heels I've Fit In Before

My good blogger friend Jasen from the land of Swamp Gas & Moonlit Reflections chose the word SMASH for this week's Saturday Scavenger Shots theme. He has his reasons, and you can see for yourself if you go check out his blog. 

I decided to use this word to refer obliquely to what's been on my mind lately. I can't be too straightforward, because what's been on my mind doesn't only affect me in this case. So, let's see if I can protect the innocent and still lay it out for you.

SMASH. A slapstick word...a violent word...could even be a celebratory word.

Last weekend it seemed like it might be fun to get SMASHed on rum and cola. And it was, actually. But it had unforeseen consequences. At least unforeseen by me. Keep in mind that I virtually never drink.  I am not a teetotaler, but I was married to an alcoholic for many years. I had to think about drinking in a different way than some other people might have to.

Anyway, after the fun came the aftermath. Again, I can't be too revealing here...but let me just say that -SMASH- my perception of how things were going in my world was rapidly twisted and turned until I really didn't recognize it anymore. It was like someone had adjusted the lense on a microscope and suddenly an image I couldn't make out before became shockingly clear.  Want to SMASH your heart open and watch it bleed? Ask questions that you aren't going to like the answers to.

I will end this here. Hoping that I can be more clear eyed in the future. Hoping I can deal with what has come up in a realistic and productive way.  Hoping that this whole thing won't SMASH my basic optimism. Hoping this post wasn't too much of a puzzler and too much of a drag.

Thanks for reading and have a great rest of the weekend. Have yourself a SMASHing good time, why don't you! You deserve it.

But He Stayed in the City, and Kept On Changing Clothes

I am over here dragging around today. Hoping for a sudden infusion of energy. Maybe some Choose and Defend Wednesday will help.

Today, a simple classic....Would you rather have...

Bionic Hearing

OR

X-Ray Vision

You know the rules! All you have to do is make your choice (Choose) and then use your most persuasive language to assure us all that you've made the best choice (Defend). 

Thanks in advance for playing Choose and Defend Wednesday!

Happy Birthday Secret Agent Man / Late Sat Scav Shot

PART I

I wanted to start this post by saying Happy Birthday to my Paul Secret Agent Man. Today my second son is 26, which of course seems impossible. We are having a family dinner tonight at WTG's house in Secret Agent Man's honor, so that is something to look forward to today. Finally, a family event we can count on this guy to show up at! He isn't called Secret Agent Man for nothing :)  ♥♥♥

Secret Agent Man to your left, looking menacing. Shown here one Christmas eve at grandma's house with Social Animal.

 

PART II

 



Now. I am hoping that anyone eagerly anticipating my Saturday Scavenger Shots post (although who that would be, I'm not sure) was able to exercise PATIENCE. Here it is, Monday...and here I am finally posting a Saturday post.   This week's word was choosen by Tara @ Eclectic Spaghetti.

I tend to think of myself as possessing PATIENCE. Other times, though, I feel more like what passes for PATIENCE is more like inertia or fear of rocking some boat. Still, PATIENCE is a virtue, or so it is said. So I will try and take some credit here for possessing at least the semblance of some virtue!

Having to wait until Monday to post gave me an extra opportunity to find the right photo for the theme.  Yesterday (Sunday) DR and I had Little Prince over for a few hours while his mom was having her graduation from Nursing school. It is always fun, and a bit easier, to have one of the kids at a time.

Having a four year old to care for exercises my PATIENCE in a way that I don't get much practice at these days. Little Prince is such a good boy. Very easy going and happy. I know he doesn't look too happy here! He is staring intently at Spongebob Squarepants...and I think we'd tired him out in the pool.  But anyway, even very good small children do require the PATIENCE it takes to listen constantly. They so want to interact in every moment. I am someone who can easily zone out...and I have a lot more room to do that now that my own children are fairly grown. But with younger children it seems very important, to me, to give them that feedback and stimulating conversation that they tend to enjoy. So....PATIENCE :)

I hope you all had a good weekend and will have the PATIENCE to wait through another week for yet another weekend. Now, we just have to see who Tara tags for this coming week.

This Musical Message is For Drop Your Drink Then They Bring You More

Friday 5 - Specific Favorites

Hey there all you chin waggers and silent partners!  Having a fairly quiet Friday, so I thought it would be fun to enjoy some Friday 5 goodness. This time, it is personal! Well...it is always somewhat personal, but anyway....

Here are my answers and photos for illustrative purposes :) 

1. Where is your favorite tree? My favorite tree is at Big Tree Park in Glendora, CA. It is called a Moreton Bay Fig. Every family in Glendora takes at least one big family photo amidst the roots.

2. Where is your favorite chair? My favorite chair seats two. It could be called a love seat, which I always thought was a very nice name. But for today, it is a chair. This picture was taken in the shop, before we brought it home to our livingroom.

3. Who has your favorite hair? My son Social Animal has fantastic hair! Long or short, I think it is superb!

4. What’s your favorite mug (or other drinking vessel) like? My favorite drinking vessel once held strawberry lemonade. Now I keep it at work, filling it with cold water throughout the day. It is cheerful and I like drinking out of glass containers.

5. Where’s your favorite parking spot (not at home)? I have my spot at work that I like to get when I can. It is next to a no parking area, so there is only another car on one side. It is one of the closest spots to the door I like to enter through. Today, I got my spot!

Thanks for coming around these parts for some Friday 5. I hope you'll play along in comments or on your own blog. As always, I look forward to hearing from you!  Stop in tomorrow to see what I can come up with for PATIENCE. Hmmm.

An Awkward Pause, Then 'What's My Line?'

Hello all you scamps and rascals! Welcome to Choose and Defend Wednesday here on me little blog. I tried to think of something Autumn-y, but it is just not very Autumnal here yet. By the end of the week it is meant to cool down into the 80s....so we'll see. 

Anyway, I decided to go with a simple movie question. I think everyone has one...or perhaps several movies, that they enjoy watching over and over. Sure, you take a break sometimes, but then it happens to be on and you get sucked right back in. What kind of movie is mostly likely to have that effect on you?

Comedy

OR

Drama

Feel free to take these categories as widely as you like. Also, feel free to name some of your favorite multiple-view movies in comments, if you'd like. I'd love to hear about them! Choose and Defend!

Oh My Gawd! Gag Me With a Spoon!

 Saturday night found me reliving that colorful decade known as the 80s. The first time around I went from 16 to 26. From being a high school student to being the mom of three. Quite a decade!

It was Totally 80s at the Hollywood Bowl. DR and I picked up a couple of sammiches at Subway, caught the bus, and got to the Bowl about an hour before the show started. We were able to relax in our seats before the crowds arrived to press in upon us. If you've ever been to the Hollywood Bowl, you know how they can work those bench seats to fully fill the place.

Me and DR enjoying the relative quiet before the storm of clarinet and keyboard and many surrounding bodies....

The first act was Bow Wow Wow. I literally know one of their songs. I Want Candy. Their other songs sound sort of similar. The things I like best about them are their Ant Music-like drums and the girl singer.

Next up, The Motels. They sounded good and  I know a few of their songs well enough to sing along a bit. Luckily, the noise level prohibits anyone else from hearing my gnarly voice traipsing alongside the actual tune. Martha Davis was in fine voice, but has apparently spent some time honing her stage presence under the tutelage of Liza Minnelli. Lots of wide-eyed drama going on.

The Psychedelic Furs were fun to hear and see. I don't remember being a big Furs fan back in the day, but apparently they were everywhere, because I know a lot of their songs. I'm pretty sure their music has made its way on to several soundtracks. Richard Butler is still really cute, I am happy to report. They played a good long set and were very well received.

The headliners were the Go Go's (I've been forced to ruminate on why they chose to spell their group's name in the possessive form). Those ladies were amazing. Their playing was tight, their voices were harmonious, and they were all beautiful! The crowd was crazy for them and there was so much singing and dancing in the packed Bowl. This was, for me, one of my less dance-y concerts. Not that the spirit didn't move me...but dang! This was a long show that came after a day of work. Maybe I was a little tuckered out. But I did enjoy the show very, very much.

Hope you all had a totally tubular weekend! It is supposed to be hot this week, at least in these parts, so send some cooling thoughts my way :)