Post coming soon...

I have exciting news, but something killed my mood, so I'll post on it tomorrow when I'm excited again.

Eww!!!! Eww!!! Eww!!

Fellas, I'm in some deep trouble. I found a dead mouse in Titan's treat bag tonight. And I've spotted droppings inone other location in my home, the kitchen cabinet where I keep my pots and pans. I think this might be where they're coming in from my neighbor's house.

I HATE this. I LOATHE this! I detest this! I despise this! It's aweful! I do NOT want to deal with dead mice. I don't want to SEE dead mice. I do not want to THINK about dead mice. I don't want to put out poison 'cause then there's a risk, even a slight risk, that it'll die and stink. I HATE that smell as much as I hate the sight. And I don't want to set out traps 'cause I don't want to see or be near dead mice.

I guess a dead mouse is better than a live one. THIS, my dear friends, is why women should NEVER have to live without a man in the house to go around checking the traps three times a day to insure that I don't come across it myself.

Did I mention how unhappy I am about this yet?

I am so embarrassed.

Well, I'm home from Austin now. Something terrible happened during my trip. Something that I am so ashamed of that I have to blog about it. I went to last Friday night's Midnight Book Release Party at Barnes and Noble of the sixth Harry Potter book. My friend in Austin claims to not be a fan, but if he's at the bookstore at midnight just so he can have a copy of the book in his hand before the preordered one arrives later the next day, that, my friends, is a fan. Now that I'm done pointing the finger elsewhere so as to get the attention off of myself...

It was embarrassing to be there. The place had hundreds of people there filling out trivia questions so as to win some kind of Harry Potter doodad. There were quite a few dressed in costume with cloaks/robes, broomsticks, wands, and those black round eyeglasses. What's worse, is that the costumes were aweful. Some were wearing cheap graduation gowns for the cloaks and straws with ribbon attatched as wands, or plastic GREEN handled brooms swiped from the kitchen pantry as their witch's broom. It was painful to watch.

For me, the only way to redeem this evening was to buy A Twist of the Wrist about cornering on a motorcycle.

Something interesting...

http://www.cedarislandpark.com/Models/Rides/DarkFunhouse/RAH749.htm

Apparently "Joy" isn't always a good thing.

I'm in TEXAS!!!

Hey everybody! I'm in The Great State of Texas!! There are things that I love about Texas, and then there are things that I prefer about my home states. I sometimes have to remind myself that I'm still in the United States because of all the Hispanics I see around here, but that's okay. It feels more weird about that because I'm not on my own turf, so I feel more like I'm no longer in the US. But Texas is still a great place. I feel weird about not having my gun with me. I feel like I don't belong, 'cause you know everyone here has a gun. I'm also afraid that people will think that I'm a yankee because I have a bit of an Atlantan accent, a yankee city. It is REALLY hot here. But it's worth it to put up with the heat to be in such a great state. They just put in an express lane on their death row, so this place can't be all that bad. Anyhow. I got things to do. I'll talk at y'all later.

I am SO getting a motorcycle!

Ok, so I finished the motorcycle safety course. And I passed! Considering I didn't even know how to turn on a motorcycle when I got there, I think I did darn good. There was a little bit of classroom time, but it wasn't a focus. The instructors really wanted us to get some good time on the bikes. I used a Honda CB125T for learning purposes. It's a pretty small bike, but it was perfect for my comfort level. There were a couple Nighthawks and a few Suzukis, but I like the one I got, plus, mine was RED.

One of the most difficult things they taught us was the U-turn. They put us in a box about the size of 5 parking spaces and told us to make a figure 8 inside the boundries of the box. I only managed to do that once the whole time I was there. They also taught us how to corner, using the outside/inside/outside method on curves. There were times when I was at a 45 degree angle to the pavement...it rocked. They taught us to swerve quickly. That was fun. They taught us how to come to a quick stop. They taught us other stuff, too, but it's too much to just list.

So...now I can be a safer motorcycle rider. Also I get a discount on insurance and sometimes they say dealerships will give ya a discount if you took the course. All I gotta do to get my endorsement on my license, is to wait for my certificate of successful completion, take that to the DMV, pay them $15 and get my new license! WooHoo!

The class had 12 people, 4 of which, including myself, were women. All passed, but two of the women, the oldest, about 60, and the youngest, about 21/22. Most of the guys were older gentlemen who used to ride years ago and were wanting to get back into riding and wanted a refresher course. It was an interesting mix once you threw in the two instructors. One had really long hair that he banded up in a long pony tail. They were funny. We all teased the chain smokers who kept trying to sneak off for a smoke. We had fun. I really enjoyed my time there. And I'm glad I did it.

Upcoming Events:

I got lots of stuff coming up soon. First, oldest sister with her youngin's are coming down so Mommy and Daddy can take off to a baseball game and leave the kiddies with Aunt Joy and Grandmommy. This is Thursday night.

Then Friday night, is the first class of my Motorcycle Fun!! It meets at 6pm, but there is no allowance for tardiness, so I shall be getting there plenty early, knowing my tendencies to be late. Then again Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 6pm.

I'll be spending this weekend at the house in the mountains so as to be closer to the location of the class. I am SO excited. I bought a jacket and gloves for the class. I still need to decide what type of bike I wish to get. I'm leaning towards the Ninja 500 now.

Last, but not least, Tuesday I'm flying out to Austin, TX, with a girlfriend to visit one of our closest guy friends, Aaron. You can find his link in the column to the right. He's in Austin pursuing a dream, and I am extremely proud of him, and look forward to see him again. I've not seen him since I've been back from Colombia.

Well, that's all for now. Everyone, have a nice weekend, 'cause I know I will!

Are these not two of the prettiest doggies you've ever seen? The German Shepherd is Whiskey Girl's Wendy, and the Weimaraner is my Titan. They're good friends. See? They're holdin' paws!!

Much better movie

So I saw a much better movie tonight than Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Batman Begins. All I have to say is go see it! My favorite thing was the first batmobile.

Movie Review

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

I saw this movie last night. I liked it. Not a fave by any means, but it was good. The best part was the banter between the two main characters. One example, but not one of the best from the movie: Angelina's character says, "Why do I get the girly gun?!?!" I just cackled at those lines. Angelina actually looks good all over, and not just her lips. And it's fun to see Brad get his butt kicked at times. So, go see it.

Progress has been made.

Today I went to the DMV and received my GA driver's license. I'm one step closer to getting my motorcycle driving license. There is a class being offered about 40 minutes away on June 24th - 26th. I gotta call in the morning to see if there is space available, and if I'm not too late to register since the only way to register that I can figure out by the website is by mail. I kept putting off signing up for the class in hopes that I could rope someone in to doing it with me, but no one would do it. So I've determined to do so on my own.

I know that I won't get to buy a motorcycle within the next month, unless I find one dirt cheap. But I'm going to go ahead and get the license so as to get the momentum going. I've fantasized about driving a motorcycle long enough. There's no good reason I shouldn't. So I shall. Next thing I know I'll be buying a helmet, armored jacket, gloves...the like, oh!, and a bike, too!

Hey fellas, how much should I expect to pay for insurance on a beginner bike like a Ninja 250, 500, Buell Blast, that type? I've been thinking maybe I should start off with a cruiser. I'd like to use Nate's, if he'd ever get the thing functional again. I know Red found an awesome deal. I could afford something like that by next month's paycheck.

I've been seein' a bunch of bikes out on the road. A guy on an Aprilla (sp?) passed by me today. He did a wheelie just after he passed me. I just 'bout went bizzerk with craze. It's amazing how a machine like that can be such a turn on. ;)

Haircut!

So here I am folks! 12 inches of hair lighter! I donated 10" of it to Locks of Love. I wasn't planning on cutting off this much, but the lady said that the donation required at least 10", so I went ahead and did it. I like it. The weight lifted from my head feels really good. I got a bit of a headache when she cut it off because of the drastic difference. Anyhow...here I am! I love having my curls back.

Now for something much more interesting.

This is MUCH more interesting than the previous post. I know, inquiring minds wanted to know.

This is why I do NOT need a man. I always thought that I would get a man that has a bike that will take me for rides. Well, I'm tired of waiting for him, because what if he doesn't already have one? Then I have to go through the time consuming process of convincing him he needs one and get any notions of a chopper out of his head and more in the mindset of a streetbike. That is just way too long of a wait, especially at the rate I'm going.

So I'm getting my OWN motorcycle! I gotta switch my DL to GA so I can take the course down here and get my license and buy a bike. I'm thinking along the lines of a Ninja 250 or 500 for starters.

I give up.

I just do. That's all for now.

hehe, ummm, hehe

Uh humm. Well now. So there weren't 16 people. There were indeed 18 people...in a two bedroom condo. hehehehe. Amazingly enough everyone was able to take showers at least once a day. It was SO much fun! I really needed this weekend away from everything.

So we drive down Friday. Grill out Friday night. All day Saturday is spent on the beach and in the water. During this time we were attacked by a tent canopy caught in the wind. I got a little bit of a burn that day on my back and chest. While out in the water I saw fish. They had bright yellow tails. Saturday night we went out to eat at The Crab Trap. I ordered a Sex on the Beach. It was pretty good, but I liked the one Stephen made for me better.

Sunday we spent our second day on the beach and in the water. We had a water gun fight, that is until the people next to us complained about getting wet. I found that bizarre considering they were sittin' on a beach next to a large body of water in a swimming suit. Odd, I know. Sunday afternoon we all got showers then went outlet shopping. That was fun as well, however I didn't buy anything. Stephen stayed home and cooked for us. He made stuffed chicken. Some were stuffed with crab meat, and others were stuffed with peaches and apples. He also grilled asparagus, and made rice. All this to say, we ate really really well.

Sunday night the rain that had been forcasted all weekend came. So five of us decide to be special, you know, the short bus kind, and go out to play in the rain. It was a bit colder than expected, however we discovered that the swimming pool water was warm. So we all jump in. We're thinkin' that with the lightning, it wasn't the smartest idea to be in the swimming pool, so we run to go splashin' around in the Gulf of Mexico. Brilliant! It gets cold again, so we run back to the pool disregarding the thought earlier of it not being a good idea. After a few minutes in the pool warming back up, the storm starts picking up, and the thought reoccurs to us that we shouldn't be in the pool during a lightning storm. So we get out and rinse off in the outdoor showers...in the rain. Lovely. Anyhow, so then we go back inside and get real showers and then stay up and talk forever and get up in time to drive back home on Monday.

Memorial Day Weekend

Well, folks, I'm heading off to Destin, FL, tomorrow morning. So I shan't be postin' much, not that I have been anyhow.

Every year the cell group from my church I attended in Chattanooga goes to Destin. I went 2 years ago. I had a blast. We rent a condo for the weekend and pack as many in it that want to go. This year there will be 16! 9-10 girls and 6-7 boys.

With this many to split the bill with, the trip can be quite inexpensive. Two years ago it was $75 + one meal in a restaurant. That included food, room, and gas.

We drive, swim, eat, sleep, play sand volleyball, sit in the sun, shop, drink, and make multiple runs to the package store. It's a blast. Every once in a while we must cook and clean up, but we share those duties, too.

So life ain't half bad. I'm VERY much looking forward to the fun. I just bought 6 waterguns, so we can fight.

We're takin' my Rodeo down there. My sister, The Whiskey Girl, is awesome. She borrowed my truck to help move stuff around because she's watchin' over Titan while I'm gone, and before she returned my truck to me, she picked up all my junk in there and vacuumed the interior. I plan on runnin' through a car wash on the way out tomorrow, so we're smooth sailin' in a fine lookin' truck. It's awesome when all the chrome gets a chance to shine. Two years ago, the trip to Destin was my Rodeo's maiden roadtrip. We're happy to get to go again.

I hope all y'all get to have as fine a weekend as I plan on havin'.

Gun and Knife Show!!!

There is a Gun and Knife Show at the Gwinnett Co. Fair Grounds today and tomorrow. Me and Nate are going and maybe Whiskey Girl, too, if we can convince her there are enough adults left here to take care of the four youngin's. This is gonna be fun.

UPDATE:
It sucked royally. It was a shack with like fifteen people inside. Nate and I didn't even bother to get out of the truck. Oh well, we tried.

How irritating.

You know that cardinal rule to driving? "No cop; don't stop." Well, this no longer the case. There is now an intersection in Atlanta that I will from now on avoid. It's the crossing of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Drive, near Gwinnett Place Mall. There are now cameras at the intersection that photograph license plates as they pass under the traffic light. I was doing business at the bank, and there was another lady there that was telling everyone about these cameras. She got a ticket for over $100.00 for passing under a red light by 1/32 of a second beyond the yellow light.

We can kiss judgement calls goodbye. Our reflexes will now have to be superhuman. And now there will be more accidents because not everybody is aware of said cameras and will assume that the person ahead will go through the yellow, this IS Atlanta, after all.

A miseducated youth.

I remember when I was in elementary school we studied the Civil War. I learned that it was over slavery and that the South was inhabited by immoral rebels. What's sickening is that I learned this in a school in Manchester, Tennessee, IN THE SOUTH. But what's even worse is that I believed it because it was what the school said. History is fact, right? You just can't go back in time and change history. Or can you?

I can testify that the re-education of the South has been successful. I grew up thinking that the North was right, and it was a good thing that the North won. I remember actually stating that I was glad that the North had won. When we watched videos in school, they had me trained to cheer for the Yankees. They taught me in the South, people didn't believe that blacks had souls and that they abused their slaves. The North was our saving grace. They trained me to be ashamed of being a Southron, ashamed of who I am.

Then came along Nate. Nate had been enlightened about the War of Northern Aggression. He then tried to open my eyes to the deception. But you know what? It never really sank in until this past Fall when I read a documentary by some very pissed off authors, the Kennedys. Their book is called The South Was Right! I read it while I sat and watched my students on the playground during recess in Cali, Colombia. I would read this, and then it would have me fuming because the deception was being revealed, and the people around me wouldn't understand because they didn't know US History.

So it is finally sinking in, and it's pissin' me off. I came to understand that this isn't just a thing of the past. It is still very present today. It even got to little ol' insignificant me! Nothing makes me angrier than to learn that I've been decieved and taken advantage of. I see how the torture and the pain that my ancestors felt of their rights and freedoms being yanked out of their reach is still happening to us today. I think it's even worse today than it was back then. I mean think...not only are we being raped and plundered, but we're believing that it is the right and moral way to go. I shudder to think of how far this will go until it changes.

And people wonder why I'm a bit of a recluse that hates the public.

Let be heard now that I am damn proud to be a Southron, born and bred, and I shall never be ashamed of my heritage again.

This is so bizarre...

This is bizarre because it is actually accurate, and it got these results by asking me questions about animals! Go figure.

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free.

In love, you feel the most alive when things are straight-forward, and you're told that you're loved.

You'd like for your lover to think you are loyal and faithful... that you'll never change.

You would be forced to break up with someone who was emotional, moody, and difficult to please.

Your ideal relationship is lasting. You want a relationship that looks to the future... one you can grow with.

Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment.

You think of marriage as something precious. You'll treasure marriage and treat it as sacred.

In this moment, you think of love as something you thirst for. You'll do anything for love, but you won't fall for it easily.

http://www.blogthings.com/keystoyourheartquiz/