My sister taught me a beautiful phrase: “Be kinder than necessary for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.” As brilliant as she is she doesn’t take credit for it. It’s a combination of quotes by James M. Barrie (Peter Pan playwright) and Plato. A wonderful phrase that I remind myself of often.

My sunny attitude. My glass half-full approach. I know it can be irritating. Annoying, even. I know I’ve lost some readers based on my posts and comments. And while I do feel down from time to time it doesn’t happen very often. There are times when I wish I was a bit more balanced. Could see through to reality. I’d avoid disappointment that way. But I know myself too well – and I’m not changing any time soon.

“Have you ever been close to tragedy
Or been close to folks who have
Have you ever felt a pain so powerful
So heavy you collapse” – My mother was an intensive care nurse. If we had a splinter, she showed us someone with a broken arm. If we had a broken arm, she’d show us someone with leukemia. Someone out there always had it worse than us. Now that approach certainly didn’t validate the pain we were in (and there’s enough fodder for a whole other post). But it did show us it could be worse.

“Have you ever had the odds stacked up so high
You need a strength most don’t possess
Or has it ever come down to do or die
You’ve got to rise above the rest” – Some of you out there are struggling with such pain. Physical. Mental. Financial. Struggles you keep private. Struggles you blog about to get off your chest. Illnesses that won’t leave your bodies. Depression that comes with the holidays. I want to be there to listen. I want to send hugs to all of you. I hate suffering, which is why I’m such a terrible nurse.

“I’m not a coward,
I’ve just never been tested
I’d like to think that if I was,
I would pass
Look at the tested and think there but for the grace go
I might be a coward,
I’m afraid of what I might find out” – I’ve had my fair share of struggle or pain. I lived a dysfunctional childhood that crept into my adulthood. But I turned out okay. But real tragedy? “There, but by the grace of God, go I.” (John Bradford) I feel so lucky sometimes. No, a lot of the time. I know my life is easy compared to some. And selfishly, secretly, I hope it continues. I don’t want to discover the coward I really am.

“I’ve never had to knock on wood
But I know someone who has
Which makes me wonder if I could” – I knock on “wood” all the time. I knock on my head. It makes people laugh. While they’re searching for wood to knock I offer them my head. I tease about my own ignorance of the woes of the world. I purposely don’t focus on local news anymore. I live near a major, metropolitan city. Murders. Gang violence. Drugs. I don’t need to clutter my pretty little head with that stuff. “Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.” (Thomas Gray)

“I’ve never had to knock on wood
And I’m glad I haven’t yet
Because I’m sure it isn’t good
That’s the impression that I get” – So, no. I’ve never really HAD to knock on wood. But my heart goes out to those of you who have.  I’ve lived a pretty lucky life. I do my best to help those who haven’t. And during this happy (for me) holiday season I have become acutely aware from all the reading I’ve been doing in Blog World that if you truly have to knock on wood there is some deep pain going on. Without sounding too much like a beauty queen I’m wishing and praying for all of you out there to be at peace. To find and treasure the joy around you. To have quiet minds and healthful bodies. I am who I am – so you’re still going to see sunshine and roses here on most days. But please know I am aware of the struggles out there. I’m just doing what I can to help share some of my joy.

The Impression That I Get – by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

Meaning

The phrase used by people who rap their knuckles on a piece of wood

Hazel tree

hoping to stave off bad luck. In the UK the phrase ‘touch wood’ is used – often jokingly by tapping one’s head. The phrases are usually used when one is already experiencing some good fortune and hope that it will continue – e.g. “I’ve been winning on every race – touch wood”.

Origin

The derivation may be the association that wood and trees have with good spirits in mythology, or with the Christian cross. It used to be considered good luck to tap trees to let the wood spirits within know you were there. Traditions of this sort still persist in Ireland. See also – the darling buds of May.

The British version – touch wood, had an earlier Latin version used when touching wood – absit omen!, meaning ‘far be that omen from us’. This dates from at least the early 17th century, when it is quoted by Heywood. It isn’t clear when touch wood began to be used. It must have been well-known by 1849, when The Boy’s Own Book published the rules of a children’s game that derived from the phrase:

“This game is sometimes called ‘Touch-iron’ or ‘Touch-wood’; in these cases the players are safe only while they touch iron or wood, as may be previously agreed. They are liable to be touched only when running from one piece of wood or iron to another.”

Knock on wood – the American version, is known from the early 20th century. For example, The Indianapolis Star, September 1908:

“He is a promising looking youngster, and once we get on velvet (knock on wood!) the New York fans will get a chance to see him in action. When that time comes (knock on wood again!) it is more than likely that he will not disappoint.”

Note: ‘on velvet’ means in a position of advantage, especially regarding betting on sporting events.

– Special thanks to Gary Martin of The Phrase Finder

Ahhhhhhhh!  Satan and death and blood and the end of the world!  Ahhhhhhhh!

Ok, I’m done with that.  Friday the 13th.  Why do we make a big deal out of this stuff?  Do people actually have worse luck because it is the 13th?  Personally, I am not into the whole superstition thing.  I have never been about knocking on wood or jinxes.  I am not worried about black cats or walking underneath ladders.  None of that stuff gives me bad luck.  I don’t care about rabbit’s feet or breaking mirrors.  I don’t pick up pennies tails side up, but that is because I don’t pick up pennies heads up either.  What am I really gonna do with it?

But today is scary!…right?  Do things like this get to you?  Do you knock on wood just in case?  Do you have paraskevidekatriaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th)?

Dear Walmart,

There comes a time when you should stop while you’re ahead. There comes a time when you should just say no. And goodness gracious this is the time. Press pause, rewind, and realize that you should just STOP!

Don’t know what I’m talking about? Well, they have ridiculously started selling CASKETS! Could you imagine, going to Walmart to pick a shirt or picture frame and you see a casket. First of all, the horror of having to walk past a casket, immediately think of someone who died or how you are going to die some day. Secondly, we all see kids play around on couches and climb to get games off the top level. We know kids are going to jump in them, scratch them up, and oh forbid, break one. (Walmart sells them from $895 to $2900)

As of right now Walmart sells them online and I have not heard of them being in any stores. Even though I have been to Walmart once in my life before and I barely know what they sell and how the store is arranged, I plan on making a few trips to Walmart to see if this disaster has been brought to the stores.

PS- I want to see how they sell these things. It is not like you can put an ad in the regular flyer saying “20% off casket”. It is like who wants to buy one and store it in their spare bedroom. I sure as hope don’t. Although, it’s true that it would have worked perfectly about a week ago for Halloween.

6 of the 15 caskets show on the website

I find it weird that every time one thing happens, it usually happens in threes. Deaths (even though there were how many famous deaths this summer), births, job offerings, (f)unemployments, and, my favorite, weddings and engagements! YAY! Luckily, this has been a good year for my family and friends (for the most part). Next weekend another one of my cousins are getting married. This is the second wedding in their immediate family this year alone. Their sibling also is expecting another child. Another aunt got married. There have been multiple baby showers and births this year, as well as engagements. My family is big one celebrating and I have already covered how my family means everything to me.

Anyways, superstitions may seem dumb to you, but I believe in some. Not all, but just some. My mother on the other hand: never walks under a ladder, literally throws salt over her left shoulder about 5 times a day, “don’t call in sick, unless you want to get sick or get caught”, has a rabbit’s foot in her nightstand table, drop a spoon or a fork and there is company coming, bad luck when a black cat crosses your path or a mirror breaks, “never lit 3 on a match”, dream of fish and someone is pregnant, if you shiver that means someone is walking across/casting their shadow over your grave, and if you wear new clothes on Easter (especially underwear) it will bring you good luck. Literally, I just asked her some of her superstitions and those were the ones I was able to write quickly enough as she rambled on. While we believe in almost all superstitions, we do think some are bogus: at the end of a rainbow there is a pot of gold, gold fish in a pond brings good luck while gold fish in a house brings bad luck, when a dog howls it brings bad luck, etc… Wouldn’t that mean every single time basset hounds talks, he his wishing bad luck on us all? For goodness sake, I had a pure black cat and he was the sweetest, friendliest, and coziest cat to snuggle up to ever.

We all must admit that we believe in the existence of connections or relationships between things. Can we prove this? No. Can we prove that this is false? No. That is the beauty of our minds. Our minds can choose what to believe in while science is the proof of belief. Superstitions are even easier to believe. It is a way of saying everything is connected to everything in ways that are unknown to us. One definition states that superstitions are “a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation.” There is no chance, we aren’t supposed to know everything, but it gives us an explanation of what may come in the future, basically the cause and then the effect.

Trust me when I say this, my family and I tend to over think and over analyze probably everything. This is something I actually state as my weakness when I go on job interviews, because, to be honest, it’s true. We are very protective and worrisome, and tend to stick to our beliefs. If you don’t believe me, ask Pat. Poor Pat for putting up with my crazy, loud, yes very loud family especially after a few drinks, and completely in your face about your life story. Not one will forget anything, and some times it comes back to bite you in the butt (back to the superstition of don’t call in sick). But my family is there for you when you need them and excitingly, I am there for them, like this weekend for my cousin Sean’s wedding, the third wedding of the year. Another cousin just got engaged, four cousins are pregnant, and a few friends finally got job offers. I hope this luck continues as Pat goes in for his interviews on Thursday and hopefully gets the luck of the Irish and gets a job, knock on wood. So next time you see all bad coming along for a day, week, month, or even worse years, look forward to the fork falling and a woman coming for a visit, or in my family’s case to the many fish that swim in our dreams.

55 Years Ago Today
At the Movies

Danny Kaye in "Knock on Wood" - August 13, 1954

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in "The Long, Long Trailer." - August 13, 1954

Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis in "Living it Up." - August 13, 1954

Roy Rogers in "My Pal Trigger," plus "Capt. America." - August 13, 1954

My Favorite Husband women's T-Shirt, from Our Krazy Kulture

The “My Favorite Husband” design is available on T-shirts in men’s and women’s styles, and is also available on posters, note cards, magnets and tote bags.  To view the entire selection of “My Favorite Husband” merchandise, click here.

The text on the design, which comes straight from the show, reads:  “The New Gay Family Series, Starring Lucille Ball, with Richard Denning, as Liz and George Cooper – Two people who live together and like it!”

August 13, 1954
(55 years ago today)

Kaye Offering Called “Solid”

One of the best in the Danny Kaye collection.  “Knock on Wood,” now at the Fox, is solid entertainment, with good comedy, some pathos, an exciting crime angle and a number of excellent song and dance routines.

Kaye is not alone, Mai Zetterling, Swedish strawberry-blonde making her first appearance on the American screen, not only is an eyeful of the wholesome variety, but she can act.

The story moves at a snappy pace and Kaye’s clowning sessions are neatly balanced with serious moments, which he handles expertly.

High lights are sequences in which he tangles with a fancy gadget-laden sports car, when he huddles under a desk at which are seated two conspirators and his final, rousing involvement with a ballet performance in London.

The film is in color and background scenes of Zurich, Switzerland, and London are attractive.

Kaye has the role of a ventriloquist who uses two dummies in his performances.  He develops a psychosis when his dummies repeatedly make nasty remarks about his girlfriends, breaking up his romances.  He goes to Zurich for a cure and ends up in the hands of a lady doctor, the lovely Miss Zetterling.

Spies Enter Picture

A ring of international spies gets into the act when they hide torn halves of stolen secret plans in the heads of Kaye’s two dummies.  There are a series of murders, done strictly on the light side.  Kaye is accused, and an exciting chase develops.  Kaye is at his best as a comedian and dancer when, in the final scenes, he jumps into the middle of a serious London ballet to escape the pursuing crooks.

Danny Kaye in "Knock on Wood." - 1954

Spokane Daily Chronicle

Danny Kaye Show yellow T-Shirt, from Our Krazy Kulture

Available in men’s and women’s styles!  This design is also available on posters, note cards, tote bags and more!  Click here to view the entire selection of merchandise bearing this design.

When I think of the Son of God, a few things come to mind:

1. Son of God
2. The “BIG BANG”
3. Turning water into wine
4. Moses
5. Being holy
6. Resurrection
7. Miracles
8. Religion

Things that DON’T come to mind:

1. Modern technology
2. Abercrombie + Fitch campaigns
3. 21st Century fashion
4. Jesus on the cross in Jeans.

Okay, so we’ve already heard rumors about being able to call and leave a message for God and stuff, but the 4th item on the list… the whole “Jesus on the cross in JEANS” thing, that was new for me. Well, Father David Buckley (no relation to me, I swear) in East Sussex, England unveiled a sculpture that cost 35,000 pounds (not pounds as in weight, but POUNDS as in the British currency) (which is the equivalent to $57,260 in the U.S.), of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in jeans.

MY Jesus is formal, but he also likes to party.

The sculpture was unveiled to depict Christ as a man of the 21st century. Okay, I get it. Christianity is always trying to get new people on board, and I am totally fine with that. But I don’t think Jesus in a pair of jeans with a neatly trimmed beard is going to convert an entire nation. [Also, as mentioned in the title of this blog entry, would the jeans happen to be HEAVEN-FOR-ALL-MANKIND? Because if so, I want those jeans. Only as long as they have awesome pockets. I have an affinity for nice jeans, and well, I tend to purchase my jeans based on the styling of the pockets.]

Back to the subject at hand. If Jesus is now a man of the 21st century, then what else does new, hip Jesus do?

• Jesus speaks profoundly and chooses his words wisely, so I say Jesus would DEFINITELY be on Twitter. I am going to guess that his Twitter name would be @theSON. The drawback? He would only be allowed to save 140 characters at a time.
• FACEBOOK. This has actually been taken care of for me. You can actually be a FAN of Jesus on Facebook. Although Jesus is a bit behind in that he hasn’t yet registered a USERNAME. Come on, man! Get with the TIMES.
• Cell phones. I am positive that Jesus would be an iPhone man. Let’s call it, for him, SKYphone. I have a feeling the “Knock on Wood” application might be his favorite.
• Transportation? He would absolutely drive a Toyota PRIUS, but we shall, for Him, rename it the PRAYUS. Logical AND economical.

I’m going to keep brainstorming more things I want to see in my 21st Century Jesus. But for now, I’m going to get back to watching Paris Hilton’s My New BFF. I don’t care what you say, but THAT show is addicting.

All for now.

The night of Friday, June 27 2009 I had an experience that I will not soon forget. After making plans to go out to the local pubs I invited my friends over for a little “pre-game” before we headed out. The conversation somehow got to broken bones when one of my best friends made the comment “I have never broke a bone in my body; knock on wood.”

 
Upon hearing the expression “knock on wood” and knowing the story behind it, thanks to one of my professors, I decided to share the interesting tale. I explained that there was a god in the wood that liked to change your fortune if he hears you bragging about your luck or success. So I told the story and admitted I had never broken any bones myself; refusing to knock on wood because I don’t believe in wood gods. However, I had been wondering what kind of “god” would bring you misfortune? Wouldn’t this be the opposite of a god?

 
After an evening at the bars and a long walk home; the next morning I woke to a broken hand of all things! I still have absolutely no explanation for how my hand broke. I had been drinking but I never recalled falling or hitting anything, nor did the people who walked with me. If anything it goes perfectly with my recent string of bad luck. Nothing has been going my way for over a month now! There is no story that goes with my hand; making it odd every time someone asks me what I did to it and I have no answer.

After explaining how I had no explanation for my broken hand to my boss, he removed his shoe and sock and showed me a broken toe he mysteriously woke up with Saturday just like me. Why would anyone even think of a god that is here to bring bad to us? I couldn’t understand why this would even be a thought.I have thought and thought about this and I’ve realized there could be a god that doesn’t necessarily bring us good fortune and luck. I’ve come to the conclusion this wood gods’ purpose could be for people like me to realize our good fortune and luck when we neglect it or refuse to see it.

Mom: “You look like you lost some weight.”

Me: “Nah, I’ve just been wearing these jeans for four days. They’re all stretched out. They’re not dirty. Smell them. I swear they’re not dirty. I Febrezed them. Stop looking at me like you’re disappointed.”

I broke my scale yesterday. Busted the little clear plastic piece with the red line on it where you line up the zero RIGHT the fuck out. Popped that bitch out and split it in half.

I may have been jumping on it to see how much I would weigh on Jupiter when that happened.

That’s not a good way to figure out how much you weigh on Jupiter, it turns out. I figured that out here. 295.5 lbs., if you’re wondering. I would crush my own legs. Awesome.

Even more awesome is that I would weigh 17,500,000,000,000 lbs. if I lived on a neutron star.

I have big holes in my ears. I know, everybody has holes in their ears. Smartass. But I have really big holes in my earlobes, because I still think that sort of thing is cool, even though I’m technically in my late twenties and therefore should be looking at nursing homes rather than hanging onto punkrock fads, according to Q, who is a few months younger than me, and claims he prefers “older women”, a category I apparently fall under because I am decrepit. Anyway, consequently, my earrings are generally big, but I recently got this bitchin’ pair of wooden hoops that are humongous, like this:

**Not an actual photo of me. My lips are much neon-pinker in real life. Also, the nose is all wrong. And I totally look like I have helmet hair and a spider on my eyeball, but I really don't. The eyebrows are pretty spot on though, which makes sense since I also draw them on my face so I SHOULD be really good at drawing them. Haha, that just reminded me: The other day Q exclaimed with teary eyes: "I'M 100% SURE THAT SHE IS THE FATHER, MAURY! This baby ain't got no eyebrows, just like her daddy!" Jerk. I don't actually have a child, we were just pretending to be on the Maury show, because that is one of the ways we spend quality time together.

J noticed them today and was like, “You got new earrings!” And I was like, “Yeah, they’re wood!” Then there was this awkward momentary pause where I thought she might say that they were “awesome” or “stunning” or “totally bitchin”, or tell me that she wasn’t an idiot and could see that they were wood, but she took too long, so instead I jumped in and went, “I can knock on my head, see?” and then I made a fist and knocked on my earring. “If I need to knock on wood. Because maybe I said something wouldn’t happen and then I don’t want to jinx myself so this way I always have wood. In my ear.” And then I wished Q was there because he would have made a joke about doing me in the ear. And that’s why he’s my soulmate. Even though he makes fun of my eyebrows. And then I went back into my office. The End.

Aka Tradizione popolare vs Imprevisti aerei

5) Toccare legno (Meglio un albero, se possibile).

4) Al momento di salire a bordo: Incrociare le dita, fare il segno della croce o toccare un talismano.

3) Sputare a terra.

2) Non portare per nessun motivo fiori in aereo, soprattutto rossi o bianchi. Il più malefico oggetto che si possa portare a bordo di un aereo è un mazzo di fiori rossi e bianchi.

1) Prima di salire a bordo e per qualche giorno prima della partenza evitate tutte le parole che possono evocare un incidente aereo, come “Bloccarsi“, “Atterraggio forzato“, “Schiantarsi“, “Esplosione” e così via.

I don t want to lose the good thing that I ve got
If I do, I will surely, I will lose a lot.
For your love is better than any love other I ve know
It s like thunder, lightning the way you love me is frightening
I better knock on wood, baby.
I got superstitious about you, but I can t take change
You got me spinning, baby, spinning in a trance
But your love is better than any other love I ve known
It s like thunder, lightning, the way you love me is frightening
You better knock on wood.
It s no secret, but that woman fills my lovin  cup
She sees, so ready, that I get enough
And her love is better than any other love I ve known
It s like thunder, it s like lightning, the way you love me is frightening
I better knock on wood, baby.
Better, yes, better
(yes you better knock, knock, knock on wood) yes, I better
(yes you better knock, knock, knock on wood) oh, knock on wood
(yes you better knock, knock, knock on wood) you know I would, would
(yes you better knock, knock, knock on wood) it s no secret
(yes you better knock, knock, knock on wood) no, oh, better
(yes you better knock, knock, knock on wood) hangin  above me
(yes you better knock, knock, knock on wood) I can t leave her
(yes you better knock, knock, knock on wood) oh no, baby
Knock on wood, wood…!

this afternoon, baron gerard st. croix – friend, colleague, poet laureate – sent me a blackberry picture.  he does this, on frequent occasion, whenever his curiosity itches in ways that cannot otherwise be scratched.  this is the picture he sent with the message: “someone actually started this business.  it’s like the jump-to-conclusions mat.”

note: gsc suffers from severe photo-vertigo and has acute crop disorder.

i asked gsc where he was, mostly because i was so sure i was going to get an answer like perth amboy, new jersey or hershey, pennsylvania.   i was surprised to find out he was at a gas station in woodland hills, california.  not that woodland hills would be above useless crap, i just figured their useless crap would be of a certain, upscale variety and not be so environmentally irresponsible.  these guys are basically saying kill a tree for good luck, which, in los angeles county is a verbal offense ranking just below asking a homeless man or woman to please not number-two in your car port.

i also find it necessary to point out the irony associated with producing and selling a keychain aimed at improving your karma, since, of course, the keychains’ producers/salesmen are so very certainly going to hell.  respectfully.

Det här blir nästan tortyr när man inte kan dansa. Jo, i sådana här lägen får man tycka synd om sig själv.

Värsta Knock-on-wood-trummorna får mig deprimerad. Vad är livet utan dans?

1.

Live and Fresh Rock & Metal – in Staines

Kamikaze
Test Pilots
Mar 12 2009
Hobgoblin
Staines

With ABSTRACT GENIUS

KamikazeTest Pilots mostly come from a country called Zimbabwe which is why they have the funny accents, although they have been living in the UK for near on a decade, so the accents are funnier still.

Ryan (aka Beans) plucked up the courage to ask his grandfather, a 6 foot plus ex-cop, if he could have a set of ancient jazz drums to fulfill a dream thought up during the long and hot african summers. His request granted, he set off forming a band with his younger brother Wes. It was soon obvious that Wes had a natural gift for the drums, so Ryan picked up the guitar, learned a few chords and slowly progressed to writing songs. They took their “band” to the boarding school they went to and it was then they met Martin.

Martin started on 6 strings, learning the very few licks and chords that Beans knew and with a revolving door of bassists, a band was born. However, turmoil created within Zimbabwe forced all matters of music to be put aside and for us to take stock of what options were available to us. We decided that it was time to spread our wings.

Kamikaze Test Pilots was eventually formed in 2005 by Beans and Wes. There were a number of member changes, with Martin joining the band as bassist in January 2006. The last of the changes happened in January 2008 when the band were joined by Jim Davies (ex-Loki) on guitar. To date we have enjoyed local radio and internet radio airplay, have self released a six track EP (“Into The Sun”-BUY IT NOW!) and are constantly gigging some bar somewhere. . .

Link:

www.myspace.com/thekamikazetestpilots

http://www.buckleuppromotions.com

2.

See these Local Punks Reborn…  Live at Egham

No Lip
Mar 13 2009
Compasses
Egham

“OLD SCHOOL PUNK FOR OLD SCHOOL PUNKS.”

After a long time of thinking of a new name (better) No Lip was born out of Sux Pastilles. With more shows upcoming No Lip are looking for fans to come to shows and go back 30 years to when punk was great. Doing covers from Ramones to The Damned and more obscure ones like the Wasps and Wire with a healthy smattering of Clash,Pistols and Ruts

Playing with our very own local STAINES faves : New Assassins

www.myspace.com/nolipband

If you don’t catch ‘em at The Compasses this week (shame on you) try to see these punksters at:

Apr 17 2009      8:00P   The Phoenix             Staines
May 2 2009       8:00P   Dog and Partridge     Staines

3.

Melodramatic Art-Pop Band – Live in Staines

A Genuine
Freakshow
Mar 15 2009
Hobgoblin
Staines

With oompah sounds, creaking violins,  rumbling cellos,  screachy guitars, burbling bass and scatty drums this lot are a genuine freakshow…lots of fun and experimentation. Cool as ice and twice as nice… see ‘em now for a truly freaky experience…

With ACACIA SNOW

If you miss the HOB Freak Show (and please DON’T)  then I suppose you can catch ‘em here:

Apr 11 2009      8:00P  The Peel supp/ Cats and Cats and Cats    Kingston
Apr 12 2009      8:00P  The Oakford Social Club supp/ Vessels     Reading
Apr 24 2009      8:00P  Reading University     Reading

Links:

http://www.myspace.com/agenuinefreakshow

http://www.buckleuppromotions.com

4.

Three Piece Power Trio- Live Windsor

The Indie
Killers
Mar 14 2009
Old Ticket Hall
Windsor

The Indie Killers are a 3 piece power trio, covering songs from the best Indie and Rock bands in the world today. With 5 record deals between the 3 members as well as extensive world tours and several charting records, these guys know how to make any party take off from the very 1st minute! The Indie Killers recently performed at The Killers latest album launch party where they were joined by members of Snow Patrol live on stage for a rendition of ’Mr Brightside’! + DJ PLAYING 80’s & 90’s HITS – BAR OPEN TILL 2AM

If you LIKE the KILLERS you are gonna LURVE these boys !

03-14-2009 21:00 at The Indie Killers
THE OLD TICKET HALL, WINDSOR, SL4
Cost: £3

Link:

www.myspace.com/indiekillers

5.

Soul Funk Disco Party -  Live at Ascot

Citizen Soul
Mar 14 2009
Jagz
Ascot

Citizen Soul is the ultimate soul, funk, disco and motown covers band for your party, wedding or corporate event. The fantastic vocalists and rhythm section are complemented by a 6,piece horn section, guaranteeing a sound like you have never heard before!

The band comprises some of the very best young musicians on the London music scene. All of the members of the band have studied at London’s most prestigious music colleges, such as the Guildhall School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music.

The band’s repertoire has something for everyone, from classics by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Earth Wind & Fire and Michael Jackson to contemporary hits by Joss Stone, Jill Scott and Jamiroquai. Whether you want the newest tunes or the cheesiest anthems, Citizen Soul can meet your needs.

Saturday, 14th March JAGZ ASCOT
Show will start at 8.45
Ticket cost: £8.00
Doors open from 7.30pm. £26 for 2 courses and entrance (£30 for 3 courses). Entrance for the bands is £8 but is strictly limited and on a first come first served basis. Entrance for dining or just the band INCLUDES free entrance to the nightclub

Links:

http://www.jagz.co.uk

-Visit AdPontes-Staines Regularly for Staines Arts-

هل سمعت قبلا او استخدمت هذا القول “دق على الخشب”… على الاغلب نعم..! فعبارة Knock on wood تعني ذلك تماما.

أي يطلب من احدهم ان يطرق على الخشب إذا رأى شيئ جميل او مدهش ;اعتقادا بأن  ذلك يبعد الحسد!! وهي عباره تستخدم كثيرا باسلوب المزح!.

Good thing I decided not to go anywhere for the weekend.  Hope everything is okay now.  What happened on Shattuck anyway?

I’ve learned something these past two weeks since the semester started.  8 AMs aren’t so bad after all.  Or maybe it’s cause I’ve only had four days.  We’ll see.  I should find some wood to knock on first.

New Year resolutions!  I keep forgetting to write this down.

• Be a vegetarian once a week.
• Go to the gym once a week.  I haven’t bought membership yet :|
• Lose 5 pounds!
• Learn a language.
• Study harder!  And go to every class.
• Get a job.  We’ll see how this one goes…
• Sleep by 12:30 AM – unless I’m working on a paper.
• Blog at least once every two weeks.
• Spend more time with family & friends.

Some of them look far-fetched, but I’m completely serious.  I’m hoping to follow through each one of these bullets.  Actually, I’m thinking about going vegetarian during Lent.  My only concern is that it’s so long and I’m bound to forget one day.  I gave up desserts last year and I failed at least six times – not because I wanted to eat sweets, but because I simply forgot!  Sounds ridiculous coming from someone who has a working long term memory.  February 25 – April 11.  That is kinda long.

To end on a happy note, Andrew got accepted to Riverside!  (:

In honor of this year’s Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, I have decided to re-post an old post! YAY!

+++++++++++++++++

Bubble wrap. American’s have a fascination, nay, infatuation, with this cheap, plastic packaging material. However, I don’t think that as we are experiencing the cathartic process that is popping those wonderful bubble, we realize how silly the whole idea REALLY is.

It's blueish/clear. It's bubbly. AND you can pop it for free.

(For me, personally, I adore a good bubble wrap popping sesh. I mean, who DOESN’T? BUT, it’s time to face the facts, people.)

1. It’s plastic. SURE, plastic makes it possible. But was this protective product originally meant to serve as an all purpose fun tool? I don’t think so. I don’t think the creator of bubble wrap said, “You know, I bet this stuff will provide parents with yet another reason to get pissed off at their kids and take away their Wii privileges.” 

2. The invention of the iPhone app. REALLY? You mean to tell me that iPhone users couldn’t just pop tangible, real-life bubble wrap, they had to go and create an iPhone application that allows one to satisfy his/her “popping” itch ON THE GO?! (I’m going to cower in shame for two seconds of honesty. I downloaded the application myself and had it on my iPhone for not one, not two, but THREE months. Don’t fret, I finally deleted it and replaced it with the “knock on wood application”).

3. Bubble wrap appreciation day. The last Monday of January. I’m not kidding.

4. The fact that it is making this guy a millionaire (which you know he will be). NOT OKAY. A calendar. One where you can POP the days away. Boy, if that isn’t a metaphor for life, I don’t know what is. But, oh hell, I’m totally going to get one.

Awesome.

All for now.

In honor of this year’s Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, I have decided to re-post an old post! YAY!

+++++++++++++++++

Bubble wrap. American’s have a fascination, nay, infatuation, with this cheap, plastic packaging material. However, I don’t think that as we are experiencing the cathartic process that is popping those wonderful bubble, we realize how silly the whole idea REALLY is.

It's blueish/clear. It's bubbly. AND you can pop it for free.

(For me, personally, I adore a good bubble wrap popping sesh. I mean, who DOESN’T? BUT, it’s time to face the facts, people.)

1. It’s plastic. SURE, plastic makes it possible. But was this protective product originally meant to serve as an all purpose fun tool? I don’t think so. I don’t think the creator of bubble wrap said, “You know, I bet this stuff will provide parents with yet another reason to get pissed off at their kids and take away their Wii privileges.” 

2. The invention of the iPhone app. REALLY? You mean to tell me that iPhone users couldn’t just pop tangible, real-life bubble wrap, they had to go and create an iPhone application that allows one to satisfy his/her “popping” itch ON THE GO?! (I’m going to cower in shame for two seconds of honesty. I downloaded the application myself and had it on my iPhone for not one, not two, but THREE months. Don’t fret, I finally deleted it and replaced it with the “knock on wood application”).

3. Bubble wrap appreciation day. The last Monday of January. I’m not kidding.

4. The fact that it is making this guy a millionaire (which you know he will be). NOT OKAY. A calendar. One where you can POP the days away. Boy, if that isn’t a metaphor for life, I don’t know what is. But, oh hell, I’m totally going to get one.

Awesome.

All for now.

Its been a rough few weeks for my family.  First, my mom got an infection in a broken tooth she had been unable to get fixed for a while.  It made, her terribly sick.  Then, I got tonsillitis, and my mom and Elijah both caught what I had, and we were sick for weeks.  Then my mom got her tooth pulled.  Three days later, last Monday, was the final blow (knock on wood).  While leaving work, my mom slipped on the ice and severely broke her ankle.  I mean SEVERELY.  Her foot was turned around backwards.

So now she’s basically bed bound.  We had plans to go check out a traditional German Christmas festival down town (its somewhere on 16th Street mall, if you’re interested in going).  We wanted to go to the Georgetown Christmas festival.  We wanted to go to Zoo Lights at the Denver Zoo.  We wanted to go to all the Advent services at church, and Sunday services, and Christmas Eve candle light services, and Christmas morning services.  We wanted to do a lot of things, to appreciate the spirit of the season through activity more than gifts.  But we can’t do any of those things now, because my mom can’t walk.

She has crutches, but its hard work doing those things on crutches, if not impossible.   We might still do Zoo Lights next week, because the zoo has wheel chairs you can check out, and we’re still going to try and get to Christmas Eve and morning services at church, but beside that, all of our Christmas plans are dashed.  To top things off, my mom had not done one bit of shopping for me and had only gotten one gift for Elijah (she wanted to do more), and now she is unable to do it.  I understand why and don’t mind not getting gifts on Christmas morning, and Elijah won’t know the difference if he gets one gift from Grammy or a thousand, but my mom is pretty upset about it.  She loves to give just as much as any mom or grandma, and this year she won’t be able to.

I have felt a great urge to make up for all of this, and have spent more than I wanted to on stocking stuffers for all of us and a “gift” for myself (a Deepak Chopra book), just so that we all have something on Christmas morning, and it will still feel like Christmas for my poor mom. 

I am however pleased because I had decided my big gift for her would be the same thing I was doing for my sister, home made spa products.  She knows I did that for my sister, and as I was showing her my sisters gifts, she said “I wish you had done that for me”.  Ha ha ha ha ha!  I did!  So at least I know she will like her gift.

What’s bothering me most of all is how hard it is to take care of my mom, my son and the house.  I just can’t seem to keep up!  The house is a mess, and I’m going to be spending a lot of time over the next two days making sure that its at least clean for Christmas.  When my mom scoots downstairs on her butt (because our stairs are too narrow to get down on crutches) on Christmas morning, I don’t want her to be distracted by a dirty house.

Tomorrow, I will post all about my successes and failures with my Christmas shopping goal to do everything off of Freecycle, Craigslist or homemade.  I will make sure to include pictures.  This is, in essence, the first Christmas I’ve put together entirely by myself, so I think a few failures are normal.  I’m working out the kinks.  Next year, my economical, green Christmas will go much more smoothly.  I learned a lot of valuable lessons this year.

After $2,000…

65 nights on an air mattress…

18+ loads of laundry…

7 trips to Bed, Bath and Beyond…

5 trips to Home Depot…

2 treatments…

4 letters to my landlord…

and lots and lots of sanity…

and no guarantees… (slept overnight in the East Village in mid-October and got a definite bed bug bite on my left forearm, but I didn’t get home until 4:00 pm that day, and because of the “bed bug sense” all bedbuggers develop after going through what we go through, I knew it wasn’t from my own apartment)

I’m feeling good these days. So for those of you still on Day 2, Day 8, Day 13… keep plugging on.

The best thing is that, after living through the reality of them, bed bugs aren’t my biggest nightmare anymore.

I went to my second snowboard movie premiere this fall, the day after the snowfall, so I’m now really itching to go snowboarding.  This time it was way bigger at Montbleu, featuring all Tahoe riders.  The movie was called “Knock on Wood.” I can’t comment on how the movie was, I got there after the showing.  I ended up the sober driver, as I often do, taxing around the drunkies.  I’m not complaining at all.  It’s fun to hear how people reconstruct the night the next day and then being like, no no no, it actually happened like this or saying, do you remember when you…  Anyway, the party was really fun, even sober, and I continue to love the culture here.

Freestylers rockin the mike at the party