Sunday, September 30, 2007

Galveston Memories

The following does not take place in a specific year or time period. It is a mash-up of Galveston memories and summers at the beach. These are the images I see when I close my eyes and imagine the Beach House.
-----

I vaguely heard the door open and lifted an eyelid just in time to see Ginger leaving the room. I tried to fall back asleep but now that I was faintly awake I could hear a barrage of noises and feel the sunshine straining to pour through the hurricane blinds. After several minutes my eyes fluttered open and the sound of odd video game pings came more into focus. I stared at the piece of plywood above me that was supporting the mattress of the top bunk and reluctantly swung my feet out onto the floor.

I crossed the room and opened the door, squinting at the brightness that flooded the beach house. Stumbling down the stairs I grunted a hello to Tim as he walked out the kitchen towards the front door.

"Good morning, Princess!" Grandma said softly, opening her arms to me. I leaned in to her and let her stroke my hair for a moment before pulling away and asked the all important question-

"Is that sausage?"

"Yes," she answered. "I made the boys leave some for you."

"Thanks Grandma." I smiled and bit the end of a link.

"Would you like some orange juice? I'll strain it for you!"

I nodded as Greg came through the kitchen and began loading ice into a blue disposable cup with his name scrawled in Sharpie on the side.

"You guys and your strained orange juice," Greg laughed, filling his cup with water.

"It tastes like hair!" I insisted, quoting my mantra and trying to decide between Cocoa Krispies and Fruity Pebbles. Any cereal that can turn your milk into a shock of pinky orange or a murky tone of chocolatey brown equals a great way to start the day.

As I slurped the last of my cereal, Grant appeared bleary-eyed at the foot of the stairs. Grandma began laughing at his hair sticking straight up and Grant answered with a sleepy grin. He sat at a chair at the end of the table just as Amy entered from the living room with one of her colorfully tattooed dolls.

"Hi Grant!" she said as she approached him. "Sleep okay?"

"Mhmm, I- auggh! Amy no!"

I looked up to see that she had leaned in to kiss him on the cheek and I chuckled to myself as he attempted to push her away.

"Amy, space please, darlin'," said Pam, entering from the next room.

She and Grandma began talking by the stove as Clay, Carter, and Dawson, having abandoned their video games, came barreling in from the next room and swarmed around the breakfast table. In a flash, Carter had his hand in the Fruit Loops box, Dawson was grabbing a piece of banana bread, and Clay was reaching for a sausage link.

"Hey, you boys! Shoo! You already ate your breakfast!" said Grandma.

"But we're still hungry!" Carter laughed, stuffing a handful of the colored cereal into his mouth.

Just then Kathy came in the front door, sweating from her walk and clutching a handful of orange and purple wildflowers.

"Good morning!" she said smiling at everyone. "Hi Mom, are my boys up yet?"

"No I don't think so," said Grandma.

"Grandma, I wanna go to the beach," insisted Amy.

"Do you boys want to wake up Aaron and Shane?" asked Kathy with a devilish grin.

"Yeah!" Clay and Carter chorused.

"Can we jump on them?" asked Dawson, but he was already running up the stairs with the others.

"Sure," called Kathy.

"Come on, Grant!" Clay yelled over his shoulder.

Grant looked up from his bowl of Frosted Mini Wheat's with a conflicted look in his eyes.

"Go!" said Kathy as she opened the cupboard in search of a plastic cup for her wildflowers.

"Beach!" said Amy.

I headed into the living room to the strains of Pam attempting to appease Amy. As I flopped onto the couch next to Hilary and Ginger, who were engrossed in an episode of "The Price is Right," yells and thumps began erupting from upstairs.

"What's going on?" asked Hilary.

"They're waking up Aaron and Shane," I answered, snuggling into one of the scratchy couch pillows.

After a moment of Bob Barker lecturing us to spay and neuter our pets, Shannon pushed open the front door clad in a strapless bikini clutching a magazine and a bottle of tanning oil in one hand and a portable CD player in the other.

"Goooood morning, sleepy heads!" she sang out.

Ginger looked up from the copy of People magazine she had been perusing. "You've already been out this morning?"

"Since 8:30!" Shannon answered excitedly as she tossed her things into a chair. "Gettin' a jumpstart on the tan! What do you think?" she asked, walking closer to us.

She grabbed Hilary's hand and pressed her finger's to her stomach. And although Hilary pulled her hand away, her white finger marks remained emblazoned across Shannon's stomach and heightened the reddish brown tint of her skin.

"Oh, gosh, Shannon!" Mom exclaimed as she walked in the room. "Burn yourself already?"

"Trying to!" she answered, crossing her fingers.

Soon the sound of thundering footsteps filled the house. Clay, Carter, and Dawson came tumbling down the stairs, giggling and falling on top of each other at the bottom. Dad told them to settle down, so they raced out of the house each yelling that they would be the one to drive the golf cart. They made the mistake of slamming the door behind them, and I glanced out the window just in time to see Grandpa point to the door, point to them, and shake his finger.

"Did you tell them to do that?" Shane asked accusingly as he stepped off the last stair into the kitchen.

"Who, me?" asked Kathy, laughing. "No, I think it was Valerie."

"Whatever!" I called, rising from my cuddled seat on the couch. "That's a lie!"

Kathy grinned at me as I walked in to the kitchen.

"Where's Aaron, didn't you boys wake him up too?" she asked Grant, who had returned to the kitchen and his bowl of cereal moments before.

"No, they woke me up," mumbled Aaron, coming down the stairs rubbing his elbow. In one motion he had slid into a chair, grabbed a tiny box of Cocoa Puffs, and started pouring its entire contents into a bowl.

Amy, who had engrossed herself in coloring in her Pocahontas coloring book, tore out the page she had just finished writing her name and few other random characters on and set it in front of Shane.

"Here Shane, that's for you," she said.

"Thanks, Amy," he said through a mouthful of banana bread.

"Here, you boys finish this cantaloupe," Grandma said setting the bowl on the corner of the table between Aaron and Shane.

Before either of them could make a move toward the fruit, Amy had taken a piece and put almost the entire thing into her mouth.

"Amy, love," said Pam, drying her hands on a towel. "No more."

"Alright, who's ready to go to the beach?" called out Snuf coming in from outside and clapping his hands several times.

---------
To be continued...

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

I would recommend...

To Read
if you are hoping
to feel inspired: Educating Esme by Esme Raji Codell
to be challenged: A Heart for God by Sinclair Ferguson
for a great story: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
for an off-the-beaten-path adventure: Still Life with Chickens by Catherine Goldhammer

To Rent
if you are looking for
a satisfying cry: The Spitfire Grill
a stirring hero: Chariots of Fire
an epoch tale: Jean de Fleurett
a quirky cast of characters: Babette's Feast

To Listen (Podcasts)
if you need
some hometown news: A Prairie Home Companion- http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/about/podcast/
a review on current events: Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me- http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=5183214
a get-you-going message: The Village Church-
http://www.thevillagechurch.net/podcast/index.html
a fresh perspective: Mosaic Church-
http://www.mosaic.org/podcast/

To Educate
if you haven't yet heard of
the native missionaries of Asia: http://www.gfa.org/
the hope of an end: http://www.savedarfur.org/
the children of Uganda: http://www.invisiblechildren.com
the plight of the innocent: http://www.ijm.org/

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Dear Diary

A journal entry from when I was 13.

Let me introduce the names and stuff of the characters in this journal.

Steve: (whose age I don't think I should tell) Loves to play the piano and to get away from all of us he leaves for work before we wake up and doesn't get home till bout 6:00 pm or so.
Kerry: (whose age I also don't think I should say) Does lots of stuff around the house during the day. Or so she says. Picture this: A man in a dark room. He leans over to her and says "Bonjour Fantine. As a French spy what have you found out today?"
But I don't think so.
Ginger: (16) Is the oldest daughter. She's my sister, obviously. She drives, and has two cars. When I drive, I'll get the ugliest one. She has the superior upstairs room, which I will get when she goes off to college.
Valerie: (13) That's me. Middle child. The ham in the sandwhich. I'm me.
Clay: (10) Can be bratty but sometimes I play with him and his friends.
That's us.
One of these next few days I am going to go craaazee! On one hand I can't wait for school which starts next MONDAY. On the other hand I am sort of dreading it. I mean, school is school, you know?

Thursday, September 20, 2007

And Yes, I too have a flute journal.

I thought that I should set the record straight and share my very own entries from the same trip that Val wrote about in her last entry. But after reading through my very enthralling notes, I determined not to bore the entire world with my geographic details. Apparently I had a wonderful time on that trip. I'm not sure why Valerie was so angry. What I did find was one entry from Colorado worth mentioning and an excellent mention of the start of another trip.


July 18, 1994

Today we traveled from Trinidad to Euray. Euray is beautiful. The mountain air is refreshing! We saw a lot of beautiful scenery. Tomorrow we aren't going jeeping. Instead I have no clue as to what we are doing. The town is so small, and quaint. Last night I was burning hot, tonight I will be hot. For dinner we had...HAM! Grandma Ann's favorite meal to fix. Every time we see her its HAM! I like ham but this is beginning to be a tradition! We, Gotta get some sleep. I'm extra tired.

March 11, 1995

Today we began the long trip to Georgia. The trip is long and annoying. Valerie and Clay constantly play and whine. Ann is completely silent. The phone constantly rings for Linda. It is usually Diana. The smell in Monroe, Louisiana is unbearable. We ate at Shonies. We have an 8 hour driver tomorrow. Maybe we will listen to more weird ghost stories. Oh Goodie.

(From the ghost story we heard - I can still remember the first three lines. It was a book on tape...I found the real lyrics on-line.)

'It was my mother who murdered me; It was my father who ate of me; It was my sister Marjory Who all my bones in pieces found; hem in a handkerchief she bound, And laid them under the almond tree. Kywitt, kywitt, kywitt, I cry, Oh what a beautiful bird am I!”

For the full story check out http://www.grimmstories.com/en/grimm_fairy-tales/the_almond_tree

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Yes, we have always been this loving

The following is transcribed from one of my old diaries. The cover has a flute and a rose on it.

July 17, 1994

Well, today was the biggest drive of my life. All the way from Dallas, TX to Trinidad, CO. We're really not staying in this crummy old place, we're really going to Ouray. We'll jeep in the mountains, and swim in a spring and all kinds of things to do. The trip here wasn't too bad. Clay cried and moaned. Ginger was grumpy, and so was Mom and Dad. Well it's time to say bye. Dad said to wrap it up. [here I drew a picture of a wrapped present]

July 18, 1994

Today we drive to Ouray. We just finished eating at Hardy's. We saw a valley a while ago. We have to cross over a mountain to get to Ouray. Clay's carsick, Ginger is grumpy, Dad won't talk, and Mom and I are fine. Before breakfast I was so hungry I tried a cold blueberry bagle. It tasted like Manna. We have about 4 hours and 45 minutes. I just got a cup of water. Boy does it taste good after haveing gum in my mouth for an hour. I'm really bored. Clay's being a dork. He's making weird noises. I can't wait to swim in the spring at Ouray. Ginger says classical music makes her carsick, I say Cartalk makes me carsick, and Dad says that's a bunch of bologna. We'll probably never get to the mountain we go over to get to Ouray. Well my hands getting tired.

July 19, 1994


Today we went on a hike to Box Cannon. Oh, I forgot to tell you, last night we arrived in Oura. Ginger's really getting on my nerves. The kind of madness you get when you throw shoes at the wall as hard as you can. [actually I remember she threw her shoes at the wall because she said she was hot-- and that made her really angry] I don't know why but Ginger can't stand being hot at night so last night she slept in the living room (we're staying in a condominiam). So tonight she opened the window. I wish I could write more but Mom says light's out. Goodbye.

July 20, 1994


Today we went jeeping in the Mountains. I got so cold. Tomorrow I'll bring more layers. I'm so tired. Earlier we were playing spoons and Ginger got out of the game. So she stood up and threw the cards everywhere. I said 'What's your problem?' 'Well I haven't lost one game. Got a problem with that?' 'Yes.' 'Well you're the most sore loser I know.' And she went out of the room red faced.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Just Desserts

When I was growing up we generally sat down to dinner all together at the table. We never watched T.V. while we ate, unless it was New Years Eve or a really special occasion. My brother usually ate something slightly different than the rest of us. For the most part we enjoyed good conversation and some fun laughs.

I remember a particular night when we decided to go around the table and say something nice about the person to our left, or was it right? It sounds really lovely doesn’t it? Although the exact words have been lost over time, I do recall the main points of that evening.
I now present:




“Just Desserts”
a Play in One Act
by me


(A family sits around a rectangular table finishing up the remains of their dinner.)

MOM
Well I think it would be really nice if we could all say something nice about each other.

VALERIE
Yeah! Let’s do it! Don’t you think that sounds like fun Dad?

DAD
(slightly forced)
Sure. What a good idea.

GINGER
Do we go to the right or to the left?

CLAY
I don’t like shrimp. I don’t eat shrimp.

MOM
Yes you do!

GINGER
Clay! Stop it. Eat your food so we can do this!

CLAY
No fair…(bicker, bicker, martyr, etc.)….!

MOM
Well, I will start. I love that your Father is such a good provider for our family.

DAD
Thank you. And I appreciate that. I enjoy it when Clay does what he is told the first time he is asked.

CLAY
Uh. I like that Ginger sometimes mows the yard.

GINGER
I like that Valerie and I think the same things are funny.

VALERIE
I love that Mom makes dinner for us.

MOM
Clay, don’t forget all of your broccoli. Thank you, Valerie. I love that your Dad washes all of the cars and keeps them looking so shiny and nice.

DAD
I like it when Clay clears his plate

CLAY
I like it when Ginger doesn’t slurp her cereal in the morning.

GINGER
Clay! Well I like it when Valerie puts butter on her muffin and DOESN’T get blueberries in the butter.

VALERIE
I like it when Mom doesn’t yell in the morning.

MOM
I like it when your Dad unloads the dishwasher and puts the things where they go (motioning wildly) instead of putting them away randomly!

DAD
What?! Well, then I like it when Clay doesn’t smack with his mouth open.

CLAY
I like it when Dad doesn’t get on my case.

And SCENE.

We do not play this game anymore, but we have played “I Don’t like it when…” several times since then. You might try it sometime. It provides for an exciting mealtime.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

My Fall TV

Checking out new tv shows can be a lot of fun, but inevitably the fall schedule is flooded with titles you've never heard of, and most don't know where to start. From "Bionic Woman" to "Pushing Daisies" to "Gossip Girl"...there are a lot. Fortunately for you, I am an Entertainment Weekly subscriber, plus a frequenter of E! Online (and their great tv critic Kristin Vietch.) So don't worry, I've got you covered. I'll let you know what I'm trying out, and you can decide if you want to tune in as well. Of course I'll still be checking in with Heroes, The Office, and Grey's Anatomy, but with the absence of Gilmore Girls and- until 2008- Lost, I have a few holes in my DVR. So without further ado, here are a few of the new shows I'll be trying out this fall:


Viva Laughlin:
...Part drama, part thriller, part musical
The fact that it's a musical drama intrigues me. Plus I'm loving the addition of Hugh Jackman to my tube!
CBS Sunday 8/7c

Chuck:
Computer geek by day. Government operative by night.
I don't have high hopes, but I'll probably set the DVR to record the first episode.
NBC Monday 8/7c

The Big Bang Theory:
A woman shows two brilliant physicists how little they know about life.
Pro: the trailer for this made me laugh once. Con: It comes from the creators of "Two and a Half Men." We'll see if I remember to tune in...
CBS Monday 8:30/7:30c

Journeyman: Vasser is a San Francisco newspaper reporter and family man who is suddenly given the gift of time travel... Through his time travels, he gets reunited with his long lost fiancé, an event that further complicates his relationship with his present wife.
Looks fascinating!
NBC Monday 10/9c

Cavemen:
A trio of Neanderthals struggle to live in modern day America.
I'm so excited for this one! Looks like some really sophisticated comedy. Get ready to laugh!
Umm.... just kidding.

Back to You:
A pair of star news anchors work together at a local TV station.
I like Patricia Heaton. I might catch this one every now and then..
Fox Wednesday 8/7c

Pushing Daisies:
It's a love story, a death story, a murder mystery, a fantasy tale, and it's beautifully made.
The critics are loving this show, and it looks interesting. I'll definitely be tuning in.
ABC Wednesday 8/7c

Kid Nation:
40 Kids have 40 days to build a brave new world without adults to help or hinder their efforts. Can they do it?
I'm so intrigued to see how these kids handle being on their own. I bet their futile attempts at adulthood will be fairly comprable to mine.
CBS Wenesday 8/7c

Big Shots:
An inside look into the life of a CEO.
Michael Vartan.

That is all.
ABC Thursday 10/9c

Full list of premiere dates
Pajiba's Fall TV Preview

Monday, September 10, 2007

A Wrinkle in Time...

(From the New York Times, Sept. 8, 2007)
Madeleine L’Engle, an author whose childhood fables, religious meditations and fanciful science fiction transcended both genre and generation, most memorably in her children’s classic “A Wrinkle in Time,” died on Thursday in Litchfield, Conn. She was 88.

I'm thrilled for Madeleine but so very sad for the rest of us who will be getting no new stories, wit, and wisdom from her. Madeleine L'Engle, though known best for her children's books, is one of my favorite non-fiction writers. Her book "Walking on Water" is probably one of the best books I've ever read discussing faith and art.

I decided to let Madeleine have my post today, she writes and communicates so much better than I ever could.

From "Walking on Water" by Madeleine L'Engle

"The artist, if he is not to forget how to listen, must retain the vision which includes angels and dragons and unicorns, and all the lovely creatures which our world would put in a box marked children only."

"There is nothing so secular that it cannot be sacred, and that is one of the deepest messages of the Incarnation."

"In art we are once again able to do all the things we have forgotten; we are able to walk on water; we speak to the angels who call us; we move, unfettered, among the stars."

"In a very real sense not one of us is qualified, but it seems that God continually chooses the most unqualified to do his work, to bear his glory. If we are qualified, we tend to think that we have done the job ourselves. If we are forced to accept our evident lack of qualification, then there's no danger that we will confuse God's work with our own, or God's glory with our own."

"We have to be braver than we think we can be, because God is constantly calling us to be more than we are, to see through plastic sham to living, breathing reality, and to break down our defenses of self-protection in order to be free to receive and give love."

Friday, September 7, 2007

YouTube Must-Sees: Required Viewing

A guide to YouTube Essentials

Injured Bad

I know this one has been circulated quite a bit, but this kid never fails to make me smile.

Free Hugs Campaign

Watch this if you are ever having a bad day. It will make you feel better, I promise.

Things You Can't Do When You're Not in a Pool

Very creative look at pool behavior.

David Caruso One-Liners

Compilation of (unintentionally) hilarious CSI: Miami moments. I don't know how David Caruso keeps a straight face.

Reach! A Lecture Musical Prank

I would love it if this would happen in my next meeting.

Star Wars Music Video

I must have a very juvenile sense of humor to find this as funny as I do.

Laughing Baby

I have never heard a baby laugh like this before. Oh my goodness.

Jesus Video

One of my favorite videos. A hilarious look at what Jesus is not.

David Blaine Street Magic

An amazing parody of David Blaine's freaky street magic. Be sure to watch the sequel if you find this one amusing.
[WARNING: containts some adult language]

Keira and Johnny!

This one is a LOT of fun to quote.

The Pickle Kid


Babies eating sour food is funny....

Evolution of Dance

This guy's got skillz.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Does anyone here sing?

Easter has always been a wonderful time to be a member of my extended family. The cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and many dogs head down to Galveston, TX to spend the weekend together. 21 people in any house can be a good time…as long as it’s not raining.

We’ve always had good times in Galveston. The excitement of Easter derived not only from the celebration of the Resurrection, but also from the Easter Egg hunt and the Cha-Cha church. The church isn’t actually called the Cha-Cha church, that’s just what a majority of my family calls the church. We attended the gathering one Easter Morning and were quite the fish out of water. These folks were rocking on the hymns, and I don’t mean that sarcastically. At that point in our lives, (my brother, sister, and I) this was the rowdiest church we had ever attended. Perhaps it was the electric organ in place of our usual pipe organ, or the excited sopranos in the front row…whatever the case, my brother asked the next year if we would be attending the Cha-Cha church again.

We in fact attended the little church many times over the past decades. Our large family would absorb half of the seating. There was always a rush to be the grandchild lucky enough to sit with Grandma. Not only would Grandma tickle your arm with her fingernails until your skin almost fell off, but she was a surefire guarantee for a great laugh during the service. If any Soprano in the front row should make an excited expression we were all in for it. 3 rows of shaking Lutherans who had been trained to listen with respect and silence were now losing it as they watched their Matriarch crumple in tears of laughter.

I remember one particular Easter when we decided to attend the early service. Usually our enormous clan could file into the sanctuary in shifts not really making a blip on the radar. The early service was almost completely empty when we arrived. We entered in taking our usual seats on the right and gasped as we noticed a new organist and the absence of the Island Choir. We all waited to see what this would mean for the service. As usual, the Pastor offered for any children to make their way to a special class and no one from our section obeyed. We do not leave our formation, no matter how hard aunts and uncles prod. Don’t make me leave the pack! So we remained and the sermon proceeded and everything went as on as usual. That was until the end came too soon for the Pastor. He glanced up from his hymnal and looked at our brood and said, “Well, I suppose we have time for some special music. Does anyone here sing?” In unison, 19 heads turned and looked my way. Oh joy. I was pulled up on stage to sing a duet with the Pastor. He offered to let me choose the song. I picked the first Easter song I could find, “Victory in Jesus.” We prepared to sing when suddenly the little organist cried out, “I don’t think I know that one.” Well, we didn’t let that stop us. Oh no. My dad was sent up to accompany us and that morning I sang “Victory in Jesus” with the Pastor of the Cha-Cha church.

The next year a similar situation came about, but I was not about to be sacrificed by my family. I stepped onto the stage with at least five cousins in tow. The early service received their special and in return my family took Easter Eggs from the hunt...the eggs that were supposed to be from the special Children's Service. "O'Doyle's Rule!"

"Christ the Lord is risen today..."

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Lest you think coming up with a name was easy….

Here’s a peek at a conversation we had while deciding what to call our blog.

Ginger: it could be "Pick a Lane"
Valerie: i think the title comes last
Ginger: or "Your skull is on my eye"
lol
Valerie: and is not a weird
and disturbing
Ginger: lol
"I just lav it"
lol
I just realized there was an interview going on in the office next to me
and I was laughing way to loud
Valerie: haha wow
you are 2 cool
4 school
Ginger: that could be it
2 Cool 4 School
cuz we are 2
and we are out of school
and stuff
Valerie: all true
tho i dont know about the 'cool
part
Ginger: 2 cute 2 4get
Valerie: HAHAHA
Ginger: "Good for a Laugh"
"New Mexico Sandwhich"
get it?
Valerie: .....
Ginger: Arizona...Texas...
what's in the middle?
Valerie: oh
Sandwich
:)
thats funny!
Ginger: "New Mexico Two Step Sandwich"
Valerie: oh my
Ginger: lol
"Mac N Cheese"
Valerie: ha
you would be cheesey
Ginger: and you would...put your mac on?
Valerie: lol
Ginger: it would definately have cheese potential
Ginger: "If the pew fits"
Valerie: oh wow
Ginger: "Don't bite off more than you can chew...especially if it's corn on the cob"
"gargle...stop laughing...gargle"
"Who eats Babies?"
Valerie: what?!
Ginger: clay
oatmeal
babies
haha
Valerie: ooooh
lol
yeah!
let's call our blog "Who eats Babies?"
Ginger: lol
Valerie: good job
cut and print
Ginger: lol
Magna-doodle
"Steal Your Own"
"Reach for the stars"
Valerie: "I'll defend you as my friend cause Jesus calls me his friend too"
Ginger: "Yum yum...eat em up."
"THE ROACH"
Valerie: haha
Ginger: "Clay's the ROACH!"
it would be unique
to say the least
Ginger: what if we call it
"ValPal"
or "Save trees - Blog"
"The gym has fungus."
"Laminated nametags"
"You forded the river"
"Laminated Ice Cream Cones"
Valerie: ok, you have officially gone off the deep end
lol
Ginger: lo
lol
anytime I see you type lol
it makes me lol
it's contagious
lol'ing
Valerie: ha
Ginger: are there shots for that?
the lolio virus
Here lies Janie, dead from lolio. Rip
"You shot 2 buffalo"
"Just a coke"
"The derby's been around forever"
"Inclement weather"
"And a pickle shooting train"
Valerie: you are going insane
i am sure of it
Ginger: "I don't hear you playing!"
(piano)
"Clean laundry in the dirty clothes!!!"
Valerie: i am so worried about you right now
Ginger: i'm waiting for you to call one of them genuis
Valerie: yeah, you keep hoping
Ginger: "Many will meet their doom"
Valerie: lol
Ginger: come one!
we can do it
"Your skull is on my eye!"
Valerie: we dont even remember what that one is from!!
Ginger: "CLAY!"
how bout that
just clay
because we have a brother named clay
lol
Valerie: ha
Ginger: and we are clay in the potters hand
Valerie: tales of 75074
Ginger: sounds so dramatic
Valerie: lol i know
haha
Ginger: like an e true hollywood story or something
"Note to self"
"Be Right Back"
"What happened to Dr. Quinn?"
"Before the sun sets on the third day"
Valerie: okay, now you're just going crazy
Ginger: lol
Valerie: and i cant stop laughing
Ginger: ""Littlefoot and Sarah"
Valerie: "Sarcast-ulous"
Ginger: "Head butting for tree stars"
Valerie: OH MY GOSH
Ginger: lol
Valerie: you have problems
"Sarcasti-ful"
Ginger: sarcasti - no
Valerie: "Sarcasti-licious"
lol
Sarcasti-headbutting dinosaurs
Ginger: lo
Valerie: how bout THAT
Ginger: l
"Oh My Goodness!"
"Lemon, lemon...sunshine in a cup"
we did have lemonaid stands
Valerie: lemonade
Ginger: "The lime and the coconut"
Valerie: which is which
Ginger: The liming coconut
"Say, that's swell"
82 to 84
final score
Valerie: ?
Ginger: 1982
1984
Valerie: ooh
Ginger: 6 to 1/2 dozen of the other
Valerie: lol
nice twist
what does that even mean?
Ginger: lol
no clue
Valerie: :)
Ginger: Hola, mi llamo...
Hola, ,mi llamo Enry Iggins
Valerie: wow
Ginger: i'm trying
"The cha-cha church"
"Fireworks in the Shower"
lol
probably not good
Valerie: HAHA
Ginger: now that I read that
Valerie: no
lol
Ginger: lol
shaking
"We ALWAYS have ham"
get it because we ham it up
and we always have ham
"Not it"
"Pass the ketchup"
"Chew with your mouth closed"
"Trundle Bed"
"Now I lay me down to sleep"
"Get a real job":
Valerie: what are you even doing anymore?
LOL
Ginger: still sending ideas
Ginger: "Pair for the Course"
get it
par
pair
Valerie: lol
this is going to be interesting...
Ginger: De-Caf with a side of Sarcasm
"Hi I'm sarcasm and this is my sister cynical..."
enjoy your meeting
going to get ready to film.
"Up, Up, WHOAH"
"Blue Scales"
Pairody
Pair-ody
Valerie: lol
have fun
BLUE!
scales....
Ginger: thanks
dark forest
What degree? 1,000!
"Come get your bear."
"Lord beer me strength"
Valerie: lol
Ginger: "Guys, it's ok. She didn't mean to steal the money."
Valerie: ok, now i really have to go
HAHAHAHA
lol
love it
Ginger: lol
Valerie: ok, talk to you later
and LOST tonight
woot!!
Ginger: Get lost
lol
Valerie: ha
:)
bye

Saturday, September 1, 2007

Ear Candy

I've spent the summer doing a lot of detective work on myspace. Previously all of my musical tastes were decided for me by very passionate friends who generously gave or made me Cd's of all kinds. This summer I got to be the one doing the sending and suggesting.


So here's my list after searching. My tastes would fall under a large and broad title of indie/acoustic/rock/pop/christian/folk/and jazz. Please enjoy the treats.


Colin Bates - www.myspace.com/colinbates
Friend and talented songwriter. His lyrics blow me away.


Ben Cooper - www.myspace.com/cooper
So far I love everything they've posted. Doesn't hurt that the drummer is a friend.

Patty Griffin - www.myspace.com/pattygriffin
She's the closest I come to country. She was just on a Prairie Home Companion tonight.


The Gabe Dixon Band - www.myspace.com/gabedixonband
I think I played "All Will Be Well" 100 times the first time I found their page.


He wrote all of these songs for his new son and they are wonderful. (He also happens to lead worship for our children's services.)


The Ditty Bops - www.myspace.com/dittybops
I don't even know how to describe their music, but it makes me very happy.


I think all of my other favorites this summer have gotten radio play and lots of attention...but I will go ahead and throw out Jon McLaughlin, Brandi Carlile, Joshua Radin, The Weepies, and Jackson Waters just in case you missed the boat on any of them.

Hope you enjoy, and if you come across anything spectacular on your own musical explorations be sure to share the wealth.