"It's love, it's love, it's love, it's lalalalalalove..."

A few things I love

1.) Mojito!

I would definitely be wearing just a tad bit more clothing than the girls in this, but I love this commercial.  I love the beat and I want to be dancing in this club!  The whole thing is just HOT!

2.) Mike Lowell, Third Baseman Boston Red Sox

Love watching him play, his book is on my summer reading list, and, well, here's his picture. 

Know what I mean?

3.) Brighams Ice Cream

mmmmm....good

4.) SYTYCD

Hit me!

I am going to go way out here and say that I don't particularly like the judges - sorry denise! But I love the guest choreographers - they are incredibly cool. Hence, my love for the show.

5.) The Beach

I could listen to this all day at work...I might try it.  My parents had a house on Cape Cod for years and late afternoon, after 4:00pm, was our favorite time for the whole family to go to the beach and set up for a couple of hours  - have this time, these sounds, many laughs, many great memories.  I miss our weekends down there more every year.  I cherish the years we had. 

BONUS:  For YouTube crazies like me, here's the link to the inspiration for the title.

Kick-Off

I went here last night to see this fantastic musician. It was a beautiful summer night, on Boston's waterfront. Stevie Nicks put on a great show. I have seen her three times and also once with Fleetwood Mac - she NEVER disappoints. True to form, she reached inside and shook hands with every emotion you could possibly feel.

Highlights: Stand Back - the opening number and a song I will NEVER tire of, Landslide - she dedicated to her Dad and had pictures of her with him from infancy through to when he passed two years ago, Edge of Seventeen - unbelievable percussion and drum intro to a fantastically fun song, Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You - closing number and very poignant with pics of American soldiers in service. She also did a cover of Dave Matthews "Crash". Pretty cool.

Her band has been with her for years and is sooo good. Two of her three back-up singers (what I'll be doing in my next life) have been with her since she began her solo career in 1979 - Lori Perry Nicks (her sister-in-law) and Sharon Celani. They are awesome.

I love live music. I love Stevie Nicks.

Next Up: July 27 George Michael. FREEDOM!

Wiffle-Ball

Pic courtesy of usmadetoys.com

One of the reasons I decided to jump into the blogging world is to learn a thing or two about myself as I observe, reflect and post about my happenings and the events surrounding me.

Today I learned something about myself.  I am no longer in my twenties. Logically, I should know that.  But I actually learned it today.

Wiffle-ball.  Great summertime fun.

To end our work conference today, we had a department BBQ and outing.  It was a fantastic conference, the weather was great all week and every one of us was ready to have a good time this afternoon.

About six weeks ago, the call went out for wiffle-ball players.  I cheerily, happily, excitedly signed up.  I love to play.  Good times, right?

It definitely was.  

My body is telling me "maybe not".  

"What was I thinking?", I asked yesterday as I looked around at the majority of twenty-somethings that make up the department.  It's one thing to goof around with friends.  But playing with work people adds a little bit of a different dynamic - you need to maintain your rep, right? Today - as the game approached - I went into panic mode and needed to visit the ladies room and give myself a pep-talk into the mirror.  I began hearing Eminem in my head.."palms sweaty...mom's spaghetti.....you better lose yourself in the moment -  you own it, you better never let it go, you only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow".

i felt better.

i played.

team came in second place ( 5-4, we had a great final inning rally).

i felt good - until i sat down.  me-oh my...i am clearly NOT in my twenties.  the mind says I am, the body is throbbing "um, no".

I am petrified to go to bed, dreading what i will feel like in the morning, considering I am throbbing now from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.  I am set up in front of the tube, watching the Sox (they are wearing green shirts to honor the Celts, the Celts will throw out the first pitch and are in attendance, woo!) and I may not be able to stand up until Sunday. If you choose to blog over the weekend, I will be RIGHT HERE, barely moving and more than likely, commenting.     

Small consolation: I did win the "Most Surprising Hidden Talent" award, so I guess that counts for something - 

BOOOO-Yeeaaaahhhhh.....owww....oooo. ooh.  ouch.

  

Icing On the Cake...

Just to round out and complete the circle of my previous post, i felt compelled to share this story.

Driving to work today, I noticed a Honda Pilot in front of me.  License plate looked familiar, stickers - yup...it was my close friend Cathy.  I give her a toot as we approach the rotary.  I get the looks in the rearview as well as the side mirrors (Jess - I thought of you and started to giggle).  We both exit the rotary at the same point, she sets up to take an immediate left.  I skooched by on the right and give the old "toot-toot...toot-toot-toot".  Sure enough, as I drive away I look in the mirror and see the peace sign.  

I almost had to pull over I was laughing so hard.  I called her on the cell and we both couldn't come up for air - she had recognized my car as i drove off into the distance.  She was so peeved at me that she was pulling into a small shopping lot to a.) get away from me and b.) drown herself in a Starbucks coffee to calm her nerves (??).

Ahh...hilarious good times.  Even my good friends pull road rage on me.  It's an epidemic.

P.S. The fact that Betsy had road rage while WALKING still has me in stitches.

Confession

I have it.  Not a lot.  Just a smidgen...but I have it.  Road Rage.

Okay - let's take it down a notch.  Maybe not rage...I believe the place I am at is road, um - perplexity. Yeah...that's it. It developed on local backroads, and doesn't really show itself while on major thruways.  For example, cruising up the road and a car is pulling out of its driveway...inching...rolling..."is he going to stop??"...rolling....now edging out..."Hey!"...inch...inch....inching out.  I know what you're thinking but, you see, I am from Boston - and so I don't technically slow down or stop. That would be too logical.  I just keep going and swerve AROUND the hood that is now hanging over the edge of the driveway (and still inching, mind you).  Then I keep driving, but yet manage to turn completely around in my seat, glare at the other driver and mumble "chowderhead"(translation: slang for a not so swift in the noggin local individual).

No - I don't have rage per se, just perplexity.  Now the dude in traffic next to me on Thursday? That dude had RAGE.  The inside of his car was completely torn apart during his rant. I think I saw seat foam in his mouth.  Beads of sweat appeared on my head as I tried to avoid looking at him while he ranted and raved next to me, leaning on his horn, jolting his car, not A SOUL able to move his or her vehicle.  Just love those peeps.  Ten minutes later I entered the parking lot and, as I circled and circled, I could still hear his horn blaring away while he inched along over there in traffic.  Poor guy.  I hope the lady in front of him stopped turning to LOOK at him, aggravating him more.  

Anyway - it was after seeing that poor guy that I knew I had road perplexity - and was thankful to discover my road meter is at a slow hum. Let's hope it stays there  :)

"Basketball is My Favorite Sport...

...I like the way they dribble up and down the court!" 

(Paying homage to Kurtis Blow - if you recognized that, you are way cool in my book  :) 

Good luck Boston Celtics...let's take it all in Game 6!  

 

Bring Back Barry

"Vivvvaaaaaaaaa Viagra!"  I cannot get this tune out of my head.  I walk around the house and find myself humming it and belting out "vivvaaaa viagra!"  SERIOUSLY??  Have you seen this commercial of the dude in the recording studio with his buddies?

I like commercials.  A lot.  My family and I will discuss them, and not just after the Super Bowl. But most of them lack that catchy, get-your-fingers-snapping, thing that makes you remember what they are selling. Instead we get a list of warnings and side-effects. 

Who has high blood-pressure? Who has high cholesterol? Who is suffering from ailments in the belly?  Is the prostrate shrinking? Are you losing your hearing? If you take this,  you'll feel like that.  And what exactly IS fibromyalgia?  Never heard of it - I need to Google it.

But then, every night, there is viagra.  How awkward is that when you are watching tv with your nieces and nephews and we're all psyched cuz Manny Ramirez just hit a grand-slam or Kevin Garnett just banked one off the glass for three points? Yeah - it's awkward.

I need a new commercial jingle to latch onto....where's Barry when you need him?        

Weekends

They are too short.  'Nuf ced.

The Sunday night blues used to be somewhat bad for me, but they have subsided a bit the older I get.  Still - I need help for that Monday morning feeling of "Really"?  Wouldn't we all just rather keep this going most of the day, especially in these summer months?:

I need a rally cry - something to get me pumped up for the week ahead....will you join me?

Can I get an M?

How 'bout an O?

Do you have an N?

Is there a D?

Can I hear an A?

Hit me with a Y!

What does that give us?  MONDAY!

I can't hear you - MONDAY!!

Shout it from the rooftop - MONDAAAAAAY!!!!

Hmmm...Why do I still feel like this?

Can I hear it again?  MONDAY!

Ahhhhh, Monday.

Alright! - as I get geared up to approach this:

I'll now surely be feeling like this:

...??

Fun times!

How Did I Get Here?

Seriously...how did I? 

On Sunday, I swore off blogs.  I knew my friend Betsy, a fellow blogger,  would be traveling and I thought it would be a good time to try and wean myself off of blog checking - I was beginning to display traits of addiction - to hers and her friends' blogs.  Monday was okay.  But I was a little disgruntled by late afternoon, and checked a couple of blogs I frequent (you KNOW who you are). I mean, I even read their OLD posts. But I was TRYING.  At least I thought I sort of ...was...trying.  But on Tuesday, I peeked again and yes, Betsy had posted, Jessica had posted, Emily had posted, Denise had posted...and all h-e-double hockey sticks (for the G-rated crowd) broke loose.  It was a comments explosion!  And I loved it.  Suddenly, as the week marched on, I was making new friends, committing to taking a girls trip to VT with people I have never met, was commenting, commenting and commenting, I had a poll created by Denise asking if i should start a blog (a whopping 8 people unanimously voted yes - definitely encouragement enough for me!), I wrote a poem about blogging in response to the poll (see below) and am now sitting in front of the computer launching my very own blog. WOW.  NEVER did I think it would come to this. But it's a good thing, right? right?  

I am as curious as you are to see where this blog journey will take me. I have hesitated before on developing a blog site, feeling that I have nothing to blog about.  But as I gave that feeling more thought, something that I truly believe came to the surface - that nothing really IS something - hence the theme and title of my blog.   

I'll be thinking of this space as my virtual farmer's porch (I've always wanted one on my house) - a place where people can stop by, have a drink, say "hello"...If you are here now - it's good to "see" you.  I hope you stop by again soon.

For now I am going to leave you with the poem I created that guided me to this place (after a wee bit of pressure)  : )

TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG

I have no blog

I have no dog

I have no kids

I'm hitting the skids

Where do I find my answers you ask?

NO! It's not at the bottom of this flask

(sidebar: it's a very cute flask, by the way - pink, with little flowers...so cute!)

I feel I have no blog material

Which stresses me each morning while I eat my cereal

Admiration I have for this original blog crew

I'm amazed at all the magic you do

On a day (like today!)

When I needed it most

There you all were 

With a fantastic post!

"Start your own blog!"

Is the cry I hear

But the thought of it, frankly,

Fills me with fear

I can keep up with comments

Day after day

But thinking up topics?

Um, NO WAY!

It's bad enough 

I have a comment addiction

But I surely don't want blogging

To become an affliction!

Tell you what - I will give it more thought

"Be a team player!" - is what my parents taught

So I will sleep on it - and have a dream or two

And hey! There just might be another blogger yet added to the crew!

And here I am!!