#WW - How to Take the Perfect Photograph

The key to taking a great picture is to have your 

subjects pretend to be biting into an apple. Voila!

#MM Celebrate Me

This week's theme for Monday Music Moves Me is to post a song of celebration and then one that describes ourselves. First up, let's celebrate. Stevie Wonder's Do I Do has always made me feel like celebrating.

And next up please enjoy a song that describes me. Those who have followed my blog for any length of time know I'm totally nuts.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava’s Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

The Ecstasy Game

Before attending an author's workshop, I had a homework assignment to brainstorm objects from my childhood home and then write a short passage about something on the list. Unfortunately, we ran out of time, and I didn't get to share my work; so, I'll share it here.

EcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcsta

            We gathered around the latest technology, a primitive desktop computer with a black screen and green writing. It perched upon the desk in my brother’s room in front of the wide bush-covered window. Eddie beamed at his creative genius garnered from his computer programming class. He invented multiple games to entertain with the latest technology to hit the 1970s.

X        The target of my affection in seventh grade was Tommy––a cute, brown-haired boy who barely knew I was alive. I typed his name, and it slid across the screen at a slow speed during the first round. With a tap of the finger, the space bar shot  X shaped kisses at him. When the kiss hit the target, the screen lit up with the word “Ecstasy” written multiple times. I’d clap and cheer because that was the closest I’d get to kissing Tommy. During each consecutive round, his name moved faster and became a tougher target to hit, but eventually, that X hit the spot.

EcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcsta

Side note in case my FB friend Tom sees this: I know one of our old classmates may send you to this blog if you don’t see it on your own, so be it known that I haven’t crushed on you in forty years and now have my own brown-hairs man to kiss.

 Whew! Scared ya, didn't I?   X 

#WW: World Cup Google Art

#MM: It's a Fanta Sea

The mysterious masterpiece Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen has always been one of my favorites. In researching the meaning of its lyrics, analysts suspect the song relates to composer Freddie Mercury's personal life. He grew up in a highly religious Zoroastrian family which did not accept what he became––gay. Especially in the 1970s, to be homosexual in his family was to make his mother cry. The man he killed was himself by not being what he was raised to be. Some think the pain relates to AIDS, which eventually led to his death; however, the disease was too unknown at the time. When people asked Freddie Mercury what his lyrics meant, he said, "I don't know."

I feel sorry for people with life styles that their family will not accept. A friend of mine has a transgender child. She has been beautifully accepting of him as has everyone else in his life. Maybe we are finally arriving.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava’s Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Twenty-Four and Looking Good

June 21st is the longest day of the year; and in 1990, it most certainly was. That was the day I gave birth to my beautiful and talented daughter, Judy. 

Judy is not only pretty, but she is also smart and personable. If you don't believe it, just ask her mother.

She is also the mother of my beautiful granddog.

Happy Birthday, Judy!

The Story of Angela and Eggy

Because you wanted to know . . .

On a May day in a Memphis classroom, multiple eggs were decorated, weighed, and named before sliding down a chute made of shoe box lids into kid designed landing pads. With ten sheets of newspaper and an arms' stretch of masking tape, kids designed these cushions. Thus, The Egg Drop Competition began. 

In order to properly place landing pads, students filled plastic Easter eggs with rocks. These practice eggs weighed the same as real eggs and got cracked before reluctant eggs ran the chute. 

To "egg" them on, kids cheered and clapped and then the trek began. Most eggs fell to their sudden death; however, Angela and Eggy were survivors. They even successfully slid down the high dive, the top of the book shelf. 

The best landing pads were funnel shaped with lots of give. Anyone who folded newspapers put their eggs in grave danger. As winning eggs, they received the reward of going home with the teacher to be eaten.

However, they became blog celebrities on Wordless Wednesday. I know you want to know about the Wordless Wednesday before this one, when I missed it doing something secret. Sorry, but I still can't reveal. I will let you know soon.

#WW: Good Bye Angela and Eggy (You Made Us Proud)

#MM Rock and Roll Legend Paul McCartney

While in my twenties, I worked at Marlborough Hall in St. Louis which was a respite care facility for children or adults with cerebral palsy and other physical handicaps. I'll never forget Francie, the thirty-year-old woman who was in love with Paul McCartney. Just mention his name and she'd squeal. He is forever and always a rock and roll legend.

Going back a little further to high school, I was part of a band car float where we repeatedly played Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. I never got tired of it.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava’s Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Missed It

Every Tuesday night, I post my Wordless Wednesday and visit multiple sites; however, last night that didn't happen. I even had the post written, but I didn't want to waste it when not visiting anyone. I had a very special top-secret mission to accomplish. If the mission is a success, I'll fill you in. If not, I wasted over four hours, but I've thrown away lots of time in my life, so what's four more hours? At least I didn't throw away time by smoking. I don't smoke.

However, I do waste time in front of the television set. Wheel of Fortune is on. Ever notice how everyone says I'm married to my wonderful husband/wife? Wouldn't it be fun to hear a different adjective. Oh, wait. That's the Jerry Springer Show.

So what do you think my very special top-secret mission involved? No, I did not apply to be on the Wheel of Fortune Show. Nor, did I try out to be Wonder Woman's understudy in her new movie. If you haven't heard about her new movie, it's because I just made that up. 

One thing great about the internet is I can't hear you whine about me not telling you what I did last night.

#MM We Were All Young Once

Here's the perfect summer song as a young Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake team up for a funny song sketch at Camp Winnepesawkee. 

Although I must say, when I saw Justin circa 1983 at the Tennessee Teachers' Conference, he was a much cuter (and less nerdy) little boy than the one he's playing in the above sketch. But judge for yourself as you watch young Justin and Ryan Gosling sing as Mousketeers.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava’s Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Throwback Thursday

I've seen a lot of "Throwback Thursday" postings on Facebook and wonder why anyone would want to throw their back? I've had a history of back pain and wouldn't wish it on anyone. The first time I experienced back pain was when pushing my toddler son on a swing. I'd push him from behind and then run in front to say "Boo." He'd laugh. I wonder if that would still work at 26? Next time I see him, I'll say, "Boo," and let you know if he laughs. Anyway, while running I felt a sudden back spasm. By the time I hit serious––like surgery serious––back pain that boy was in fifth grade. I busted L5 and had to go under the knife after the third doctor told me I had no choice. 

In 2006, I ran the Memphis Half Marathon and hurt L4. It looked like I was headed for the knife again, but then one of my children's fathers (as in student, my kids only have one daddy), told me about a magic bracelet from Sergio Lub. I put that sucker on and all of my pain disappeared. I didn't even need surgery. Hey, wait a minute. I just did an ad for my bracelet and the Lub Dude didn't even pay me. I guess they owe me. Or maybe I owe them since I haven't had back problems since I started wearing their bracelet. It never comes off because I'm scared I'll brake my back if I remove it.

In conclusion, YOU CAN KEEP YOUR THROWBACK THURSDAY. I don't want to do that again.

#WW The Dogs at the Bank

We pulled into the line for the drive-up teller at the bank.

The dogs went into attack mode–

barking and growling at three dogs in the mirror.