It's Oh So Quiet....

Shhh ... Shhh ...

I've been really quiet the last six months. It's now for a summer party on my pages. You know the kind: lots of fun friends, jokes, bbq, patio furniture. Today's topic of summer fun is all the music that reminds you of pure summertime. Let's kick off this summer list with a few of my favorites:

1. All Summer Long, Kid Rock ... cuz everyone has a little WT in their grass roots
2. Summer of 69, Brian Adams ... yessiree!
3. Margaritaville, Jimmy Buffet ... even for the non-drinkers
4. Two Pina Coladas, Garth Brooks ... for the drinkers
5. Say Hey, Michael Franti & Spearhead ... gotta have some dancehall
6. Soul Sister, Train ... ooo, fun stuff
7. I Want You to Want Me, Cheap Trick ... reaching back
8. Three Little Birds, Bob Marley ... well, any Bob really but I have 3 little birds ;)
9. Upside Down, Jack Johnson ... curious george in a music video makes me smile
10. Banana Split, Louis Prima ... all-time favorite swing song
11. Come By Me, Harry Connick Jr. ... unless you count the awesomeness that is Harry
12. Country Road, John Denver ... it's john!
13. Walking Man, James Taylor ... come on, sunshine and a guitar. if you're not hearing it, get your ears checked
14. Shame on You, Indigo Girls ... very summery feeling if you've ever lived in the south
15. Beautiful Girls, Sean Kingston ... ok who can resist more fun rhythms?
16. Footloose, Kenny Loggins ... cuz I heard this last night, rocked out, and it's summer
17. I Just Haven't Met You Yet, Michael Buble ... a REAL Michael Bubbly song (haters can stand to the right, lovers can stand to the left, I will just dodge bullets)
18. Beautiful, Snoop ... need I say more
19. The Way You Make Me Feel, MJ ... mmmmmmmmm
20. Rock Star, N.E.R.D. ... who doesn't love a little N.E.R.D. - for reals??

Please Note: This list contains laid back, relaxing car songs.
Also Please Note: Stay tuned for the Dance Version of Summer Songs. It will include amazing pieces like One by Swedish House Mafia.
Also Also Please Note: This song list is my sacred cow; your opinions mean nothing to me!
Also Also Also Please Note: I just realized I missed Fishing in the Dark by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

Peace Out.

And Then, It Happened.

One day, my dad died. Yep, just got right up and out of here.

One day, my husband left. Might have been easier dealing with death.

One day, I quit my cushy job. Still hoping that was the right choice.

One day, I dated the wrong person (ok maybe on multiple occasions).

One day (and for-unbearably-ever actually), my mom lived with me. To be brief, ugh.

One day, everything felt like it was crashing. Then, my inspiration hit:



Can't wait to rock on in Vegas, Ladies!

Wa-hat Chew Say?

Oh hell. Sometimes stupid just seems to radiate out of people. I mean it's so strong that you just want to say, "Pull back on the Stupid lever"!!! And when I say people today, I mean men specifically. Now, don't get me wrong. I love men. I am not a man-hater, but this week has pushed my buttons. Let's take the cases individually so y'all can better grasp what I'm dealing with here:

A) Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday: Well, we don't need to rehash the Jas situation ... it's over and speaks for itself, but basically sucks.

B) Monday: Dated a guy about three years ago for approximately 3 weeks (right after the big "D" so I was going through a moment of stupid myself). Decided this was not going to work out for me and stopped seeing him. He is now married with a kid. IM'd me this WTF conversation:

HIM: you know something ... i miss being with you, lol.
ME: umm, we weren't really together
HIM: i know but i think about us
ME: no, what you think about is being able to go on dates, so get out of the house and take your wife on a date
HIM: i want you again
HIM: can i see you?
ME: are you asking me to help you cheat on your wife?
HIM: no, i could never cheat on her
ME: good, i don't do cheating. so go out with her and leave me out of it.
HIM: you should have married me
ME: um, we didn't really date that long
HIM: would you have married me?
ME: no, you wouldn't have wanted me, and you don't now ... go hang out with your wife

C) Wednesday: Guy at customer conference my company is putting on blatantly hit on me in front of coworkers. Does the embarrassment of this NOT register on anyone's radar? It's completely unprofessional.

How much more stupid am I going to have to deal with this week? I'm thisclose to swearing off speaking to men for awhile.

Yes, you.

(WARNING: Controversy to follow...)

Dear Jason,

Hi. Look, hardest thing in my life, but I can't see you anymore. I kind of adore you, which is in complete violation of our treaty. You're smart, funny, and just overall likable. I know, I said I was in no way, shape, or form going to fall for you. It was an impossibility. I was better than that. I didn't need you; I could get something better (which I really can but we'll discuss that at another time possibly). Well, it happened. How? I have NO idea!! You just kind of sneaked in there and put the squeeze on me. Dangit!

I like how carefree I am with you. I like how I don't care so much about hiding who I am. I like how confident and happy I am with you. I love laughing with you.

I can't laugh any more. I can't pretend things aren't what they are anymore. I wish they weren't like this, but they are so like I told you the first day we met: GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER!!! and then we can talk, but I can't do this anymore.

I can go on and on and list your strengths and weaknesses - do a full SWOT analysis on where this will get me, but I already know: no where right now. It's cool. I can go live my life. I've learned a lot, and I thank you for forever for giving me back my strength and happiness. You were great when I needed it. No one has ever treated me as well as you have (um, that's because I'm overlooking the two times you stood me up, which was fairly jerky of you. I forgive for the first one.) And yes, I say all this knowing where you are not so perfect, and I'm ok with those things.

I wish you the best. I hope you make the best choice for you and yours. If you stay, be strong because it'll be awesome and worth it. If you leave, go heal your heart and then come find me in a couple of years because I'm awesome ;) You are a good man and a great friend.

Xxx,
TT

Prop 8 ... Just thinking out loud here ...

I am trying to understand the whole fight behind Prop 8. I am Switzerland when it comes to this (at least right now) so my questions posed aren't saying I'm for or against or that I'm gay-friendly or not. I love all sorts of people regardless of race, religion, sexual preference, etc. I just want to try and figure this one out.

I guess my questions mostly revolve around the term "marriage".

I know when I think of marriage, I think of being in a church and seeing two people "married". I'm pretty sure that the issues of "marriage" here is more of the legal definition and benefits. Why are marriages handled differently from civil unions or partnerships? In my eyes, I don't see why they aren't the same thing (for same-sex or m/f). I guess I really need someone (with biased one way or the other because I can make up my own mind) to give me the facts. No marketing spiel. You aren't trying to sway me one way or the other. I want to know so I can effectively decide for myself.

If you have thoughts, please share.

Cheers!
TT

Literature in the 2000s

I had this prof at the university. I did not really like her; our personalities just weren't in sync. She was an amazing poet. I am grown up enough to recognize that she deserved the accolades and esteem that she brought to the table, and I even scored a B+ in her class ::with the personality disorders:: so she must have been a grown up too.

I was haphazardly reading a Humanities publication yesterday when I came across an article she'd written. She told two completely different tales and tried to tie them back together (which I didn't think worked very well), but her point was one that I feel most poignantly these days. What kind of literature are we leaving behind for future generations that mark us? Her answer and mine is a repartee of short, at times witty tidbits, yet we have failed miserably at capturing what things mean to us. The glorious masterpieces have fallen by the wayside in our time. We're so obsessed with the right now that we aren't even defining stories to last the ages. Our idea of literature is how I have also started to feel about a lot of our art work. There's the picture - painted or written beautifully - and unfortunately lacking in emotional ties or feelings. Tell us how that makes you feel. It's like we're a generation that isn't allowed to have feelings or emotions. We aren't allowed to disagree or stand up for what we believe in because society is still telling us that everyone should get along and come up with a group consensus on everything. Our poets are giving us words that describe society but they don't tell us what that society means to them. Yes, it's overwhelming. Yes, it's confusing. Where is the touching sentiment that makes us nod our heads and remember what our time was actually like?

Being an English major myself, I have done little to contribute to that great gaping black void as I have felt like a directionless soul the past 5 years. Another piercing reflection of our generation. Recently, I have discovered that I do have things to say that are meaningful and striking. Things that reflect what we as a people are going through or what we are watching happen to us all around. As I sit here, I realize that I've started to fail by keeping some of my gifts hidden away for fear of how they might be used against me or in some case for hitting a moment of sheer boredom thinking that they just might not be that relevant so why bother.

Well, I'll start bothering. I'll start being involved in my own generation, in my own time, and stop solely focusing on helping to shape and create future generations. The only way I can do that is to focus on what I can contribute now. I may not be the one to leave the masterpiece, but I can certainly leave behind a trail of meaningful works that be a small token of what we were.

Rockkkin' It Twisted Style

My life abounds with cuteness. I mean how could a person resist this:

Then there's this:


And you know I can't leave off this:


Fall at our house is quite charmante so far ...