Mad Ninja Skillz... ?

a Ninja You scored 7 Honor, 6 Justice, 6 Adventure, and 4 Individuality!

You are a soldier of the night. You rely on no more than your cunning and your repuation to strike fear in the hearts of lord and peasant alike. You've a sense of honor, but one that comes from within, not imposed from outside. Black clothes and shuriken for you. You're gonna do just fine.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 36% on Ninjinuity You scored higher than 75% on Knightlyness You scored higher than 35% on Cowboiosity You scored higher than 25% on Piratical Bent

Link: The Cowboy-Ninja-Pirate-Knight Test written by fluffy71 on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Thanks to Princess Jami for the link!

Project Runway anyone?

Ok, I think you all know by now that I am no fan of so-called reality TV, but last year I got hooked on one: Project Runway. So, I am happy to say that PR2 has now at last begun! If you don't have cable, or just haven't seen this one, it's a competition for fashion designers, with one eliminated every week, and all the usual hoopla of rtv. I guess the reason I'm drawn to this one is that season 1 highlighted the various designers' talent more that the drama between them. Of course there was drama (anyone ever hear of Wendy Pepper?) but that was not (IMHO) the main point of the show. I am hoping that this year will be the same... we shall see. Anyway, if you're interested, the show is on Wednesday nights, and reruns about 10 times during the week, so you should be able to catch it... If you already watch, leave me a comment and let me know who you're rooting for/against and what you thought of the first 2 episodes!

A Dog's Life

Let me preface this by saying that I am about to review a game that is neither new nor terribly popular. If you're not interested, you can stop reading now and just go surf on over to somewhere that is not here. If you're still with me, however, read on!

Recently the super-fabulous Gamefly.com sent "A Dog's Life" my way. The game came out in Sept of 04 apparently, but I don't recall hearing about it then... I doubt it got a ton of press... Anyway, recent developments considered, I figured it was about time I gave it a try. Long story short: I am kinda glad I did, but I am also glad I rented instead of buying it. (That doesn't make for much of a review, now does it?)

So... you want details. I can't imagine why you would still be reading if you didn't... Ok. I am eager to please. The game is very obviously geared toward the pre-adolescent boy market, so there's a lot of what I like to call "potty humor" in there. In fact, it opens with a fart joke. Not an auspicious start if you ask me. From there, however, it only can get better. And it does! Kinda...

The plot is fairly simple: you are a dog, and you are trying to earn yourself some bones and get yourself in shape so you can go rescue your doggy-girlfriend Daisy who has been dognapped by a suspiciously Horace-and-Jasper-esque pair.

The coolest feature is "smell-o-vision" -- where you see the world through a dog's eyes (or would that be nose?). In this mode, everything goes black and white except colored plumes of gas that represent various smells. You collect these smells to unlock mini-games and doggy-friends, and to follow the scents of other characters you come across.

The whole game is very non-linear, to the extent that it is often difficult to figure out where you should go next. I think I have personally missed a few levels because I made a wrong turn at a fork in the road. A little direction might be nice... but at least it gives you lots of options and you get to explore at your own pace.

In each area there is a new dog to meet. Once you have collected enough scents, you can challenge this fellow canine to a few games (of his or her choosing!) and if you beat them, your new pal will teach you tricks to be used in future levels. Some of the games are easier than others, but persistance is always the key. Not really a lot of thought required. As mentioned, this is definately a game geared toward the kiddies...

I guess I would say that this is a good game to pick up and try if you're looking for a short diversion, and if your expectations are low, you will likely enjoy yourself. Just don't go in looking for a real challenge, or a real game for that matter, because this one really misses the mark.

In other news...

I guess it's been a while. I found a job... though that's not really true. The job found me. It's not great, but it's better than my last one, and it's a six month contract, so I can surely stick it out. If any of you are in the Love Field area, let me know -- we can do lunch some time!

Also, I recently changed over from Blockbuster Gamepass to Gamefly.com. If any of you out there are looking at either of these programs, I say go with Gamefly. So far I have been nothing but happy with them, and the "Game Q" is a great way to keep track of which titles you are still hoping to play.

Hmm... this is going to be a really game-related post. Last night we picked up Civ IV. I LOVE it!!! What a great game! It manages to capture all of the good stuff from Civ III, but add in all the stuff that you didn't know was missing.

Course, the biggest news is definitely Masha -- she is soooo cute! But then, you can already see that below. ;-) Having a puppy around the house really changes your routines. I dare say our household will never be the same again! Right now Magellan is kinda mad at us for bringing a dog into the house though. She'll get over it... she was mad when we got Bear too.

You know, when I started this post, I thought I had more news than this... maybe it will come to me later!

Introducing: Masha

Ok, one thing that has been keeping me busy lately is our newest fur-kid, Masha. Masha is a pure-bred Siberian Husky who just turns 3 months old today. She is without question, one of the sweetest, calmest pups I have ever seen! AND she has her own blog on dogster.com, so go visit already!

G-Mail anyone?

Anybody still need a G-Mail invite?

btw. I'll post an actual post later today... sorry to be away so long!

Student Driver by Stellar Kart

Had to share -- this song was starting as I got into my car after the last day at my current job. Since I have no idea what I'm doing next, I felt it was exceedingly appropriate!

Two hands on the wheel of my fate.

Sweat running down my forehead.

Cars passing me like we're in a race.

I don't know what danger lies ahead.

Cause I'm just a student driver.

And I need your help to guide me.

Cause on my own I'm nothing.

Looks like the road ahead.

Might be rought to atake.

Oh no, I've spun out of control.

Good thing my passenger has a brake.

And he knows exactly where to go.

Cause I'm just a student driver.

And I need your help to guide me.

Cause on my own I'm nothing.

Now my right wheel is wobbling off.

And my stereo is blown.

But because I'm a student driver.

This car is not my own.

Cause I'm just a student driver.

And I need your help to guide me.

Cause on my own I'm nothing.

Cause I'm just a student driver.

And I need your help to guide me.

Cause on my own I'm nothing.

Cause I'm just a student driver.

And I need your help to guide me.

Cause on my own I'm nothing.

Which Historic General am I?

Not sure I'm happy about being compared to a Nazi general, but here ya go... (kudos to Jami for this one too!)

Erwin Rommel You scored 53 Wisdom, 69 Tactics, 62 Guts, and 33 Ruthlessness!

You're most comparable to German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel in the fact that you have very strong tactical skills and morales. However, Rommel lost in Africa despite the fact that his logicians had told him time and time again that the English were planning to shut off his supply lines. Rommel lost North Africa, because the English shut off his supply lines. The moral of this story... Listen to your logicians. And guard your damn supply lines! But that being said, Rommel was one of the greatest strategic and tactical minds of our day. Had he overrun Egypt (which was a definite possibility at the time), World War II may have turned out significantly differently then it did. Erwin Rommel entered the army in 1910 and rose slowly through the ranks. In 1939, Adolf Hitler made him a general. Rommel brilliantly commanded an armored division in the attack (1940) on France. In Feb., 1941, he took the specially trained tank corps, the Afrika Korps, into Libya. For his successes there he was made field marshal and earned the name “the desert fox.” In 1942 he pressed almost to Alexandria, Egypt, but was stalled by fierce British resistance and lack of supplies. A British offensive overwhelmed (Oct.-Nov., 1942) the German forces at Alamein (see North Africa, campaigns in ). Rommel was recalled to Germany before the Afrika Korps's final defeat. He was a commander in North France when the Allies invaded Normandy in June, 1944. Allied success led Rommel, who had lost his respect for Hitler, to agree to a plot to remove Hitler from office. Wounded in an air raid in July, he had just recovered when he was forced to take poison because of his part in the attempt on Hitler's life in July, 1944. Other leaders like yourself include Patton and MacArthur.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 18% on Unorthodox You scored higher than 46% on Tactics You scored higher than 77% on Guts You scored higher than 11% on Ruthlessness

Link: The Which Historic General Are You Test written by dasnyds on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Math

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 10/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

Hat tip to Princess Jami

Monster...

Your Monster Profile

Basilisk Enigma You Feast On: Pie You Lurk Around In: Olive Gardens You Especially Like to Torment: Pop Stars

What's Your Monster Name?

I thought this was an appropriate topic as I am now in the position of looking for a job (you can connect the dots there...) You know, if I were a monster, I really think my targets of choice would be pop stars.

"Never Again!!!!" Well maybe just once more...

Maybe it is my natural cynicism, or maybe because I know the depths of this that reside in my own heart too well, but I am very rarely surprised anymore when I encounter yet more evidence of human depravity. So little am I surprised that when I read this article (Hat Tip to Rod Dreher in the Dallas Morning News Blog) that I realized that I haven't seen as many disabled children out and about as I did even 10 years ago. And

Much has been written and said that is far more profound and more compelling about the modern day holocaust that is abortion, and yet when I hear about the various nuances of the murder of the generations, it makes me sick to see how far down Martin Niemöller's slippery slope we have come as a society.

And off in the distance, I increasingly hear the strains of Deutschland, Deutschland, Uber Alles.....

Calling all animal-lovers!

Just got a message from the woman who runs the rescue where we got two of our three buns. I wanted to pass it on in case any of you would like to help. This is in the Dallas area, so it may not apply so much to those of you who don't live around here... so sorry! Here's the full text:

Hello my friends - first, please feel free to forward this email to whomever you think might be interested. It's time that I reached out to those of you who care about what I do and open up the floor to debate.

We all know that I am finally divorced and kinda "homeless" - which only means that I haven't landed where I need to yet. Many of you have offered me a room at your home, which is amazing, incredible and wonderful. And I may take a few of you up on it!! Currently I am at my vet's house - Dr. Rogers - here in north Frisco. It's kinda inbetween the sanctuary in McKinney and Lewisville. But I will have to make up my mind and get a "home" very soon. I can't wear out my welcome!! Yes, I am putting quite a few miles on the car!!

So help me think here. The Sanctuary really needs a big facelift - lumber work, getting trees donated (we know the kind we need), sprucing up the exterior and building new shelters for the interior. And that's just the beginning. We need to build/get a kinda "shed" where we can store our carriers/caging so that it doesn't look like a Jeff Foxworthy backyard We currently have about 80 rabbits now - some are at Katreena's and the rest are at Mikael's.

And now for the weird news. I think there are rabbits sitting in just about every shelter there is here in north Texas. We have received 9 from Carrollton, 2 from Lewisville, 2 from Grand Prairie, 1 from Mesquite, 1 from Garland (and 1 darling rat!!!) but there are still ones sitting at Tri-Cities, Grapevine and Arlington. Help!!! do we continue to rescue, do we change course, what do we do? This is way too big anymore for my shoulders alone, and I need help/advice.

Right now all the adoption papers are packed in a box somewhere (my mind wasn't working when I was packing, sorry). So that resource isn't updated on my mailing labels, but I still have that list. Goes back a few years.

I think we need:

1. People who can really focus on fundraising (helping Tammy and David) - we had to cancel our winetasting fundraiser because of H. Katrina this fall - reschedule? We are pretty darn broke. I would like (in my wildest dreams) to raise $10,000. Well, I can dream!

2. People who can keep up with the media and do press releases/schedule interviews/get us on TV/radio.

3. People who can help keep up the website or teach ME how to do it!

4. People who can look into local and state/national grants!!

5. TRANSPORT! I have spent hundreds of dollars in gas (as have a few of you too!!!) going and getting wildlife/rabbits. I just can't afford to do this anymore - I am filling my tank ($38) almost every other day. sigh. And I know I am not the only one!!!

4. People who just plain old have ideas.

I did focus on one thing - a storefront. We could do adoptions out of it, have a few buns there all the time, have educational seminars, merchandise, etc. Maybe even this could be a drop--off point for our wildlife. What do you think? This 501(c)3 has got to stand for something!! Garage sales - we are having one coming up on the 22nd of October at Katreena and Kristi's house in McKinney (off Eldorado and Lake Forest). We will need help!! Can anyone bake stuff? Help set up/take down? Make signs? Give me a vacation? just kidding.

And then there's the wildlife. I no longer have a real "facility" where I can intake wildlife, get donations, and do that work. Even though I was not really "available" during the summer, and Rick and Michelle took up the slack (boy is THAT an understatement!), WildRescue has still done well over 400 animals so far this year.

That's kinda it in a nutshell. Either I just go and get a job and scale waaaayyy back on 20+ years of work, stop the work, or somehow get paid to DO the work.

I am not a wishy-washy person, I can make decisions. But this time, I am taking it off my shoulders and asking for your thoughts. We can even have a List on egroups to discuss with everyone if you want.

I will try and find other email addresses that are attached to us via wildlife or rabbits and send this message out too. I really look forward to hearing from any and all of you!!!

With much love,

Diana

Stained Glass

I have always been completely fascinated by stained glass windows. The church I grew up in had beautiful stained glass throughout the building. I can remember a few times when I had the pleasure of being alone in the sanctuary and sitting cross legged on the red carpet with all of the beautiful colors of the windows falling around me and just being still and quiet. Somehow, the warmpth of that light always made me feel just a little closer to God. I can't get over the thought of the peasant of centuries ago, whose life was dull and drab, entering a church and marveling at the beauty of the light pouring through similiar windows. It must have felt like a bit of heaven on earth to them. These days, that experience is a little harder to come by. Many of the churches in the south, were built in a different age. Though some have stained glass, it is hard to find the magesty of the windows I knew up north. Those churches who can afford such a luxury down here often place all of their windows so far from the ground that you can't really experience them as closely. Many churches prefer nice stone facades or impressive artwork on the walls to stained glass, and their budgets at the time of building reflect that. I think today, with our multi-colored tech-filled lives, often we miss the beauty of simpler things; things that were truely treasured generations ago, and no where is that thought more obvious to me than while standing in the light of a beautiful stained glass window.

Crafters United!

Remember that craft sale I mentioned before to benefit Katrina survivors? Well, I finally got my stuff together and submitted it, and it's now up on the site! I have 17 items, all for scrapbookers.

• With Love Border
• Winter Fun Duo
• Vertigo
• Squiggle Stars
• Silent Night
• Retro Border
• Pixels
• Mirror, Mirror
• Let it Snow
• Independence Day
• Happy Halloween
• Give Thanks
• Easter Pair
• By the Sea
• Border Sampler
• Birthday Girl
• Birthday Boy

Comments on any of this would be greatly appreciated. I have never sold pre-made designs like this, so I could certainly use the input! Bonus points to anyone who can guess which item was actually made by the Moose...

Health

You know how "they" are always saying "At least you have your health!"? "They" aren't kidding!!!

I've been doing this thing lately where at night my mind is all "Sleep? You're kidding! We don't need no stinking sleep!" but during the day my body is all "Since you didn't sleep last night, when you should have, you're going to sleep RIGHT NOW! And NO, I don't care what you're doing at this moment. And NO, I don't care that you have to be leaving for work in 10 minutes." Needless to say, this is not so very much fun.

So, I did what any sensible person would do. I went to the doctor. And the doctor said "Hmm." Yeah, that was about it. So she ordered a ton of blood tests and made me pee in a cup (yuck!) and said she'll let me know in about two weeks. TWO WEEKS! Did I mention that I am leaving the country a week from today? On a missions trip? If it was a vacation, it wouldn't be such a big deal cause I could just lounge around the whole time and not worry about it. But I don't forsee much lounging time in Russia. Oh, yeah, and the fun part -- I get to teach a class! I think I'll call it "Why sleep deprivation is a bad thing 101". Kinda catchy, no?

In a not-so-unrelated note, those new vanilla Tylenol PMs are WONDERFUL! But they don't last all night. I'm clocking them at about 4 hours. Cause, why would anyone want more that 4 hours of sleep at a time? Right?

BTW, yes, I know grammar and spelling have gone out the window today. I am sorry. Deal.

The Moose is loose - kinda

Well, after much thought, I am going to jump back in. At least a little. I don't guarantee that I will post often or that what I write will be of any interest whatsoever, so if you don't like it, oh well.

1. I am sick of the media slamming FEMA. They are a government bureaucracy, not God. Why anyone expects ANY government agency to act immediately is beyond naive. They were slow getting there, but there are on the job now. In any case, strutting and posturing does absolutely nothing to help those affected by this disaster. So shut up already!!!

2 The Church has a golden opportunity to show the rest of America (and the world) that there is much more to us and our faith than a few ganging cymbals (...cough pat robertson Cough...).

3 Finally, Bun-Girl and I leave in 10 days for Russia. Please keep us in your prayers.


As an added note, our Ekat. team is doing a blog about this trip. Check it out! ~Bun-Girl

Donate a dollar, without spending a penny

Go here and enter your info to donate a dollar to the relief efforts. I have been promised by Danielle of Knotty Yarn that no spam will be sent. How easy can it get to help out those who need it most? (Also, it's kinda cool to watch the map fill up with pink and blue dots of people who have already donated!)

A Unique Relief Effort

So, there must be some crafty people out there, right? I heard about this great idea yesterday and I just wanted to pass it on to you all. If you have any sort of craft/artsy/whatever ability, or know someone who does, this would be a great way to help out some folks who are in dire need right now. Of course, if you'd prefer to just donate cash, my own personal favorite charity, World Vision, is doing disaster relief too. Then there's the one donation we can all make and it won't cost you a dime. Please be praying for all of those who have been touched by this nightmare. Not only in NOLA, but all throughout that region.

Top songs of 1979 and 1997

Ok, so I stole this from Princess Jami (what else is new)

Rules: Go to www.musicoutfitters.com and put your birth year into the search box. The first link is likely the top 100 songs of that year. Cut and paste that list. Bold the ones you actually like. Understand that the word "like" in this case means, in the very least, "wouldn't immediately change the radio station from." Pick a favorite. Underline that favorite.

1. My Sharona, The Knack
2. Bad Girls, Donna Summer
3. Le Freak, Chic
4. Da Ya Think I'm Sexy, Rod Stewart
5. Reunited, Peaches and Herb
6. I Will Survive, Gloria Gaynor (I have high-school memories tied to this one)
7. Hot Stuff, Donna Summer
8. Y.M.C.A., Village People
9. Ring My Bell, Anita Ward (this one too)
10. Sad Eyes, Robert John
11. Too Much Heaven, Bee Gees
12. MacArthur Park, Donna Summer
13. When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman, Dr. Hook
14. Makin' It, David Naughton
15. Fire, Pointer Sisters
16. Tragedy, Bee Gees
17. A Little More Love, Olivia Newton-John
18. Heart Of Glass, Blondie
19. What A Fool Believes, Doobie Brothers
20. Good Times, Chic
21. You Don't Bring Me Flowers, Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond
22. Knock On Wood, Amii Stewart
23. Stumblin' In, Suzi Quatro and Chris Norman
24. Lead Me On, Maxine Nightingale
25. Shake Your Body, Jacksons
26. Don't Cry Out Loud, Melissa Manchester
27. The Logical Song, Supertramp
28. My Life, Billy Joel
29. Just When I Needed You Most, Randy Vanwarmer
30. You Can't Change That, Raydio
31. Shake Your Groove Thing, Peaches and Herb
32. I'll Never Love This Way Again, Dionne Warwick
33. Love You Inside Out, Bee Gees
34. I Want You To Want Me, Cheap Trick
35. The Main Event (Fight), Barbra Streisand
36. Mama Can't Buy You Love, Elton John
37. I Was Made For Dancin', Leif Garrett
38. After The Love Has Gone, Earth, Wind and Fire
39. Heaven Knows, Donna Summer and Brooklyn Dreams
40. The Gambler, Kenny Rogers
41. Lotta Love, Nicolette Larson
42. Lady, Little River Band
43. Heaven Must Have Sent You, Bonnie Pointer
44. Hold The Line, Toto
45. He's The Greatest Dancer, Sister Sledge
46. Sharing The Night Together, Dr. Hook
47. She Believes In Me, Kenny Rogers
48. In The Navy, Village People
49. Music Box Dancer, Frank Mills
50. The Devil Went Down To Georgia, Charlie Daniels Band
51. Gold, John Stewart
52. Goodnight Tonight, Wings
53. We Are Family, Sister Sledge (reminds me of "The Birdcage")
54. Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy, Bad Company
55. Every 1's A Winner, Hot Chocolate
56. Take Me Home, Cher
57. Boogie Wonderland, Earth, Wind and Fire
58. (Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away, Andy Gibb
59. What You Won't Do For Love, Bobby Caldwell
60. New York Groove, Ace Frehley
61. Sultans Of Swing, Dire Straits
62. I Want Your Love, Chic
63. Chuck E's In Love, Rickie Lee Jones
64. I Love The Night Life, Alicia Bridges
65. Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now, McFadden and Whitehead
66. Lonesome Loser, Little River Band
67. Renegade, Styx
68. Love Is The Answer, England Dan and John Ford Coley
69. Got To Be Real, Cheryl Lynn
70. Born To Be Alive, Patrick Hernandez
71. Shine A Little Love, Electric Light Orchestra
72. I Just Fall In Love Again, Anne Murray
73. Shake It, Ian Matthews
74. I Was Made For Lovin' You, Kiss
75. I Just Wanna Stop, Gino Vannelli
76. Disco Nights, G.Q.
77. Ooh Baby Baby, Linda Ronstadt
78. September, Earth, Wind and Fire
79. Time Passages, Al Stewart
80. Rise, Herb Alpert
81. Don't Bring Me Down, Electric Light Orchestra
82. Promises, Eric Clapton
83. Get Used To It, Roger Voudouris
84. How Much I Feel, Ambrosia
85. Suspicions, Eddie Rabbitt
86. You Take My Breath Away, Rex Smith
87. How You Gonna See Me Now, Alice Cooper
88. Double Vision, Foreigner
89. Every Time I Think Of You, Babys
90. I Got My Mind Made Up, Instant Funk
91. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, Michael Jackson
92. Bad Case Of Lovin' You, Robert Palmer
93. Somewhere In The Night, Barry Manilow
94. We've Got Tonite, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
95. Dance The Night Away, Van Halen
96. Dancing Shoes, Nigel Olsson
97. The Boss, Diana Ross
98. Sail On, Commodores
99. I Do Love You, G.Q.
100. Strange Way, Firefall

Yes, I have two favorites. So hard to choose!!! Truth is though, I haven't even ever heard of most of these. Man there was some bad music in 1979!

_________________________________________________

Rules:go to the Music Outfitters website and type your high school graduation year into the search tool. Select the “list of the 100 most popular songs” and you will get the Raw Material for the next step in the process, which is to look through the list and decide which songs you hated, which ones you liked, and which one was your favorite. Post the list on your Online Journal, striking through the songs you hated (or still hate) and boldfacing the ones you liked (or still like). Bold and underline your favorite song. No opinion? Leave it as-is.

1. Candle In The Wind 1997, Elton John
2. Foolish Games / You Were Meant For Me, Jewel
3. I'll Be Missing You, Puff Daddy and Faith Evans
4. Un-Break My Heart, Toni Braxton
5. Can't Nobody Hold Me Down, Puff Daddy
6. I Believe I Can Fly, R. Kelly
7. Don't Let Go (Love), En Vogue
8. Return Of The Mack, Mark Morrison
9. How Do I Live, LeAnn Rimes
10. Wannabe, Spice Girls
11. Quit Playing Games (With My Heart), Backstreet Boys
12. MMMBop, Hanson
13. For You I Will, Monica
14. You Make Me Wanna..., Usher
15. Bitch, Meredith Brooks
16. Nobody Keith Sweat
17. Semi-Charmed Life, Third Eye Blind
18. Barely Breathing, Duncan Sheik
19. Hard To Say I'm Sorry, Az Yet Featuring Peter Cetera
20. Mo Money Mo Problems, Notorious B.I.G.
21. The Freshmen, Verve Pipe
22. I Want You, Savage Garden
23. No Diggity, BLACKstreet Featuring Dr. Dre
24. I Belong To You (Every Time I See Your Face), Rome
25. Hypnotize, Notorious B.I.G.
26. Every Time I Close My Eyes, Babyface
27. In My Bed, Dru Hill
28. Say You'll Be There, Spice Girls
29. Do You Know (What It Takes), Robyn
30. 4 Seasons Of Loneliness, Boyz II Men
31. G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T., Changing Faces
32. Honey, Mariah Carey
33. I Believe In You And Me, Whitney Houston
34. Da' Dip, Freaknasty
35. 2 Become 1, Spice Girls
36. All For You, Sister Hazel
37. Cupid, 112
38. Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?, Paula Cole
39. Sunny Came Home, Shawn Colvin
40. It's Your Love, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
41. Ooh Aah... Just A Little Bit, Gina G
42. Mouth, Merril Bainbridge
43. All Cried Out, Allure Featuring 112
44. I'm Still In Love With You, New Edition
45. Invisible Man, 98 Degrees
46. Not Tonight, Lil' Kim
47. Look Into My Eyes, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
48. Get It Together, 702
49. All By Myself, Celine Dion
50. It's All Coming Back To Me Now, Celine Dion
51. My Love Is The Shhh!, Somethin' For The People
52. Where Do You Go, No Mercy
53. I Finally Found Someon, Barbra Streisand and Bryan Adams
54. I'll Be, Foxy Brown Featuring Jay-Z
55. If It Makes You Happy , Sheryl Crow
56. Never Make A Promise, Dru Hill
57. When You Love A Woman, Journey
58. Up Jumps Da Boogie, Magoo And Timbaland
59. I Don't Want To / I Love Me Some Him, Toni Braxton
60. Everyday Is A Winding Road, Sheryl Crow
61. Cold Rock A Party, Mc Lyte
62. Pony, Ginuwine
63. Building A Mystery, Sarah McLachlan
64. I Love You Always Forever, Donna Lewis
65. Your Woman, White Town
66. C U When U Get There, Coolio
67. Change The World, Eric Clapton
68. My Baby Daddy, B-Rock and The Bizz
69. Tubthumping, Chumbawamba
70. Gotham City, R. Kelly
71. Last Night, Az Yet
72. ESPN Presents The Jock Jam, Various Artists
73. Big Daddy, Heavy D
74. What About Us, Total
75. Smile, Scarface
76. What's On Tonight, Montell Jordan
77. Secret Garden, Bruce Springsteen (believe it or not this was my prom theme... :-P)
78. The One I Gave My Heart, w Aaliyah
79. Fly Like An Eagle, Seal
80. No Time, Lil' Kim
81. Naked Eye, Luscious Jackson
82. Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix), Los Del Rio (don't get me wrong -- I still know the dance to this)
83. On and On, Erykah Badu
84. Don't Wanna Be A Player, Joe
85. I Shot The Sheriff, Warren G
86. You Should Be Mine (Don't Waste Your Time), Brian McKnight Featuring Mase
87. Don't Cry For Me Argentina, Madonna (I LOVE Evita!)
88. Someone, SWV
89. Go The Distance, Michael Bolton
90. One More Time, Real McCoy
91. Butta Love, Next
92. Coco Jamboo, Mr. President
93. Twisted, Keith Sweat
94. Barbie Girl, Aqua
95. When You're Gone / Free To Decide, Cranberries
96. Let Me Clear My Throat, DJ Kool
97. I Like It, Blackout Allstars
98. You're Makin' Me High / Let It Flow, Toni Braxton
99. You Must Love Me, Madonna
100. Let It Go, Ray J

Fairly slim pickin's here too... Oh well.

Been a while...

...since I last posted. (bad bun-girl!) So much has been going on lately that it's hard to keep up! I've been dealing with some health issues that I'd rather not talk about here, so I'll just tell you all about the good stuff instead!

Prep for Russia is in full swing. We are less than a month away from leaving. So hard to believe!!! Unfortunately, I've been missing out on a lot of the meetings, (Sorry guys!) so please pray that I will be fully prepared in time to go.

I went to Showcase not so long ago. Showcase is Creative Memories' national convention. It's totally a blast!!! I'll post some photos in a bit. In case you're wondering, yes I am a Creative Memories consultant but I am not allowed to advertise for it on my site. Stinks, huh? but those are the rules. So, if you want more info, you'll just have to e-mail me directly.

We have signed all of the paperwork to start building the house!!! Our projected completion date is early January (2006). All of our flooring and colors and such have been decided, and we managed to get all of the upgrades that we really wanted without going over budget. God is Good!!! Since we locked in our price, the cost of building the same exact model has jumped up by a few thousand dollars. Talk about getting in just under the wire! We're still going back and forth between two mortgage companies, so prayer for wisdom is greatly needed.

Seems like I'm forgetting something, but I guess I'll post it later if I think of it... Thanks for all of the prayers and support we've been getting! You guys are great!

And now... pics!
Here's Bear (aka Buddy Bear). I don't think I've posted a picture of him before... He's kinda camera shy, so this is the only good shot I have of him so far. (That's Willie behind him)






This is the main stage at Showcase. Kinda gives you an idea of the size of the convention.





(more in next post)

more pics!

Myself and two friends from my team.









Us again, posing on one of the many "photo ops" set up throughout the convention.






House stuff:

Cabinets and counter tops for the kitchen








Kitchen floor








bathroom floors









flooring for the rest of the downstairs







The overheads from the lighting package we picked.









paint colors for the outside of the house and carpeting for the upper level

Love Affairs

Ok... You caught me. Right now, I am in the middle of not just one, but two separate love affairs. Yes, my husband knows about this... He's actually involved in one of them -- it's a bit of a threesome really.

RELAX. These are affairs with video games. You may have noticed that I am, and I suppose always have been, a gamer by nature. I spend entirely too much time with games. But recently two have pushed all others from my mind. I haven't even played The Sims 2 in months!! (Yes, it's that serious.)

The first is really a bit of a tease. And you can blame Princess Jami for introducing us. It's called The Kingdom of Loathing, and it is a blast! It's a free MMORPG. The graphics are nothing special, (umm... stick figures actually, but really funny and cute ones!) and the game play is NOT what I'd call cutting edge, but there is an amazing amount of humor to be found there. As I said though, it is a tease. You only get about 40 actions a day. This is not NEARLY enough. Now, there are certain things you can do to bump that total up a bit, but really, twice that would not be enough! So, I created seven separate characters within the game... It's not like I use them to cheat or anything though. They are all on their separate quests and journeys and they really don't interact much. Still, doesn't take long to play all of my adventures for the day, and then I'm done. So, I had to find something else to occupy my time, and boy did I ever!

So, I found myself in Blockbuster. I have a gamepass, so I can rent a game and keep it a day or a week or a month, and they don't mind. The only rule is I can only have one at a time. Well, I've gone through most of the games on their shelves, and what's left is mostly stuff that I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. (I mean, come on -- Leisure Suit Larry has a sequel? Tell me they're kidding...) But there is one that has been sitting there for a while that didn't look like anything special, but also seemed mostly harmless: Gladius. These guys seriously need to work on their package design. The box doesn't even begin to give you a feel for what's inside. It's a fighting game, and normally I avoid those like the plague, but this one is a bit different. Most fighting games become a mad round of button mashing that involves no skill, and wears out your thumbs (and your controllers) quickly. Not Gladius. Gladius is turn-based. (WOOHOO!!! CIVIII anyone?) No button mashing. Plenty of time for strategizing and thinking out your every move. And it has a co-op multi-player mode. (This would be the previously-mentioned threesome...) Seriously, for anyone who enjoys a bit of strategy in their games, check out Gladius. And don't let the sub-standard packaging deter you. If I had picked up this one long ago, I might have missed out on some of the more questionable titles I've played recently.

I just don't understand...

For some odd reason it is extremely fashionable to proclaim (as loudly as possible) the name of the designer who created your clothing and/or accessories. I have really never quite understood this. Really, if they're such a good designer, shouldn't the design speak for itself? Would the bag you're carrying be nearly so chic without someone else's initials printed all over it? It seems that many designers are not designing clothes anymore -- they are more interested in designing vehicles for their logo. And for some reason, fashionistas everywhere are eating it up.

Even more perplexing to me is this site. I understand that in a society where labels are so desirable as to be out of the price range of the average girl there will be knock offs. Makes sense really -- just simple supply and demand. But I would think that if you are so concerned with the name of the designer that you would wear it printed all over your hand bag, you would not want people to know that the bag didn't really come from that designer. I don't see why anyone would buy a bag with some designer's name written all over it, only then to have the word "FAKE" printed in huge letters over said name. Let's not even mention how utterly repulsive the finished item looks. Wouldn't the $60 be better spent on a bag that actually looks presentable, even without a designer name? Can someone please help me understand???

New Library

What a great idea this is!!! I don't know about you, but I am frequently frustrated by running out of reading materials while on vacation. (nothing says relaxation to me like lying by the pool with a good book) As a result, I wind up packing too many books and my luggage gets rather heavy. How great would it be if they had libraries in every touristy area... including airports. What a way to spend a layover that would be!

Mutterings 6/30

1. Useless:: Redundant
   
2. Radiant:: Bright
   
3. W:: Bush
   
4. Unpaid:: Volunteer
   
5. Geek:: Techie
   
6. Unfaithful:: Cheater
   
7. Reboot:: problem
   
8. No!:: Why?
   
9. Squad:: car
   
10. Fetish:: foot

MIT surveying bloggers

Thanks to Princess Jami for the link!

Two Posts...

Recently, I have come across two blogs that I find to be intensely entertaining. They may not be for everyone -- there is some language and such -- but I am totally hooked. Both deal with the perspective of people in the "service industry". The first is Waiter Rant, written by a waiter in one of the upscale restaurants in NYC. The second is Club Life, written by a bouncer in one of New Yorks exclusive night clubs. Today they have each posted a story that is not in line with the usual fare on either site: Nunc Dimittis is a heart-felt account of one man's decision to leave the priesthood, while Gently shows us a more personal side to the hired muscle standing guard at the door. Go read both. Amazing writing gentlemen.

Mutterings... 6/13

1. Wally:: Waldo
   
2. Phantom:: of the Opera
   
3. Slippery:: slope
   
4. Fungus:: feet
   
5. Slot:: machine
   
6. Type:: Blood
   
7. Discharge:: Dishonorable
   
8. "We need to talk”:: "You need to listen."
   
9. On the spot:: right there
   
10. Liquid:: soap
    

Anybody remember the 80's?

I was too young to remember most of the songs in this quiz from when they first were popular, but I guess I've watched enough VH1 to know most of 'em. I got a 73.2... what will you get?

Well what do you know...

Your IQ Is 130

Your Logical Intelligence is Genius Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius Your Mathematical Intelligence is Genius Your General Knowledge is Above Average

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

Hat tip to Princess Jami

Warning!

Username:

From Go-Quiz.com

Just had to post this because it is absolutely too perfect! Thanks to Princess Jami.

The return of mutterings!

1. Heimlich:: Choking
   
2. Gesture:: body language
   
3. Party:: crowd
   
4. Cuddle:: bunny
   
5. Room with a view:: vacation
   
6. Sebastian:: Neverending Story
   
7. Ooooh:: Aaaah
   
8. Sigh:: whisper
   
9. Two fish, three fish:: Seuss!
   
10. Cake or death:: Marie Antionette
    

In defense of the "Religious Right"

Recently, I have found myself daily at homocon: the blog of a conservative gay man. That's right -- they do exist. I know many in the Christian Community are completely uncomfortable around (or too often blatantly hateful toward) those whose sexual orientation doesn't line up in the traditional guy-girl way, but I have just never felt this way. The way I see it, if Jesus Himself could befriend some of the dregs of society, why should I feel like any human being is somehow beneath my notice and unworthy of any kind of positive attention? I have over the years been fortunate enough to have the friendship of a few gay men, and though I don't agree with all of their choices, I certainly don't consider them to be any more inherently evil than any of the other sinners here on this Earth. Today homocon has posted his thoughts in defense of Christians and their political views. GO READ IT.

International Respect for Chickens Day

And I missed it! I don't think I actually ate any chicken at all yesterday -- and that's very odd for me. I will just have to make up for it by having chicken for both lunch and dinner today. Anyway, if you want a good laugh, go check out the website... they actually say "chickens are people too". Hmm... and I always thought chickens were chickens. I guess that just shows how much I know!

Hat tip to Nykola.

Repeal the Wright Ammendment!

Set Love Free!!!

The above slogan probably doesn't make a lot of sense to most of you, but if you have ever tried to fly in and out of Love Field in Dallas, you have seen the Wright Ammendment in action. Love Field is a smaller-than-DFW-sized airport that handles all of Southwest Airlines' business to and from Dallas. Years ago, the Wright Ammendment was put into place because (as I understand it) the big guys at DFW didn't want this little airport to cut in to their profits. Now anyone flying out of Love Field can only fly so far without having to get off their plane, claim their luggage, check their luggage again, go back through security, and check in for another flight. If it sounds like a pain in the butt, that's only because it is. HOWEVER there may be an end in sight.

Thanks to Rodney for the link!















Southwest is now agressively lobbying to repeal the Wright Ammendment. Check out their site for more info on this effort!

Blogroll is updated...

Go check out some of the sites I read daily (or almost daily)...

Actually, my spelling is pretty good.

Your English Skills:

Grammar: 100%

Punctuation: 100%

Spelling: 40%

Vocabulary: 40%

Does Your English Cut the Mustard?

Unfortunately, I didn't know most of the words they included. My vocab is a bit rusty I guess.

Thanks to Princess Jami

Russia -- Episode II

Well, as those of you who have been reading for a while know, my husband and I went to Russia last year as part of a partnership between my church and the Campus Crusade team in Ekaterinberg (and yet I'm still not sure how to spell that!). We will be going back again this year. We have officially started preparations for the trip and that includes raising support. I have decided that I will be putting all of the proceeds from the Google toolbar (at the top of this page) toward that trip. So, if you could just click on the links there and peruse the sites offered, you'll be supporting a great ministry! The other form of support I could really use is prayer. If you are interested in praying for specific stuff, feel free to e-mail me (h m e l t o n [at] s b c g l o b a l [dot] n e t) and I'll send you the list. Otherwise, general prayer that the preparatory stage goes smoothly, and prayer for the kids we will be teaching to be open to the message, would be greatly appreciated!

I loves me some dices!

No use trying to fight it, you're an eight-sided die, a d8. A fine example of simple elegance, the d8 is one of the least appreciated types of dice, and is often neglected. You are known to be quiet and shy, outward traits that conceal viscous sarcasm and mean wit. You are very smart, yet wise enough to hide your intelligence the quicker they found out how smart you are, the sooner they'll put you to work, which is something you can do without. People call you dark and pessimistic, or moody and cynical. You find little point in arguing. (forgot to add that part before --sorry!)

Take the quiz at dicepool.com

Add this to the wish list

It's Darth Tater!!!
Yes, I am a geek.
And yes, I will probably go see Episode III, despite having been so horribly disappointed by the previous two. In my defense, I can only say, Wookies!

Hat tip to Princess Jami.

Providence

n.The care, guardianship, and control exercised by a deity; divine direction

If I had to define the current theme of my life, I would say providence is certainly it. In recent months the Moose and I have gone from hoping to be able to afford groceries to hoping to be able to afford a new house. So many times in this period, we have seen God come through for us when we thought all was lost. His divine providence has been proven time and time again, and now it seems he has even led us to the right place for us to live at the right time. I just can’t express enough gratitude to a Creator who would care so deeply for a broken thing like me!

Illustration Friday

This week's Illustration Friday theme is "Crowded". 

What is wrong with this picture?

You know, if I were to walk into any prison in America and suggest that the inmates on Death Row be denied food, water and medical care, I'd find myself at the top of the list for every civil rights group out there. Yet, somehow, in his infinate wisdom, a judge in Florida has the right to order just that for a special needs woman who hasn't (as far as anyone knows) ever broken a single law!

Too many people have posted too much about the Terri Schiavo situation, so I'm not going to go on and on about it. I will just say that I think it is criminal and that they should lock up BOTH the husband and the judge. Talk about inhumane!

Two places to go for real info about Terri:

Terri's Fight
Blogs for Terri

Quiz...

The Harlequin You scored 26% Cardinal, 43% Monk, 50% Lady, and 35% Knight!

You are a mystery, a jack-of-all-trades. You have the king's ear, but also listen to murmurings of the common folk. You believe in the value of force and also literature. Truly you are the puzzlement of the age.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 30% on Cardinal You scored higher than 44% on Monk You scored higher than 49% on Lady You scored higher than 34% on Knight

Link: The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test written by KnightlyKnave on Ok Cupid