Musical Monday New Year's Eve 2007

Some Things Make Life Worth Living:
The Perfect New Year's Eve date.

Dancing in my favorite Irish pub.
Screaming the lyrics to Walk Away ~by Dropkick Murphys, My favorite Irish Drinking Song ~by Flogging Molly and Add It Up ~by The Violent Femmes at the top of our lungs whilst his beer sloshes onto my favorite boots.



Feeling the Eire blood coursing through my veins. And his hand on the small of my back; his fingers burning an impression onto my flesh. That physical connection, in the midst of the swirling crowd, a connection that says we are one. We will not be torn apart.

He grabs me and pulls me to him for a slow dance as the crowd around us continues to dance fast. He sings along in my ear, his arms wrapped around me. A song he secretly requested earlier because he says he loves my blue eyes and he cannot help but think of me whenever he hears it.

Leave your stepping stones behind, something calls for you.
Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you.
The vagabond who's rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore.
Strike another match, go start anew
And it's all over now, Baby Blue.
It's All Over Now Baby Blue ~Echo and The Bunnymen version.

The drunken crowd shouts along and surges, pushing us closer together. He wraps himself tighter around me, a protective shield against the throng. I can feel my heart racing in response to his nearness. I wonder if he can feel it too.

All I can think is that I want to burn this moment into my memory. So I'll never forget the feeling of his fingers in my hair. His lips, warm and wet, against mine. The smell of his skin as I snuggle in and kiss his neck. The feel of his body melting against mine--until I can't tell where I end and he begins.


And then...

Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather
Whiplash girlchild in the dark
Clubs and bells, your servant, dont forsake him
Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart

I am tired, I am weary
I could sleep for a thousand years
A thousand dreams that would awake me
Different colors made of tears

Kiss the boot of shiny, shiny leather
Shiny leather in the dark
Tongue of thongs, the belt that does await you
Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart

Severin, severin, speak so slightly
Severin, down on your bended knee
Taste the whip, in love not given lightly
Taste the whip, now plead for me

Venus in Furs ~The Velvet Underground


And Johnny Thunders sings You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory.
Sorry Johnny. I have to try. It's my nature.

I always miss home at this time of year.
The Road Home.


Happy New Year everyone!
Make this the one you'll never forget!



Technorati Tags: New Years, Musical Monday, Leather, Boots, Music, woodnotwood

Out With The Old

In with the New!


Say goodbye to the pink hair.
It's okay. It was just temporary dye anyway.

As you can see I've taken down the Christmas template that I created. It's still available for download here Christmas Template. And it's free! Aren't those wonderful words to hear after the holidays have ravaged your wallet? Consider it a belated gift from me to you.

I created the current template with a musical theme. Note the Violent Femmes and Gary Jules quotes. I also started work last week on a template for men. It's not quite finished, but it'll be ready for download (hopefully) this weekend. You can view it here Musical Template and watch while I work. I'm also using a musical theme for this men's template. I like my templates like I like my men.
Brilliant and moody. Ahem

The next men's template will be dedicated to the geeks and nerds. You know how hard I crush on geeks and nerds. I couldn't possibly leave them out. I've created several breast cancer awareness templates with girl themes. I thought it only fair to create a couple of templates for the guys as well.

This will probably be it for a while though. I made an early resolution this year. That I would start making some changes in my life. That I would take some risks and start following my heart.

So... I quit my job.
I know. I know.
I hadn't mentioned it before because it gave me panic attacks even thinking about it.

Believe me, it was a tough choice, but it was time. I'm excited by the thought of new challenges and new opportunities. Today was a first step in that direction. I had a job interview with a company that I would truly love to work for.
Cross your fingers for me.

The subject of this post is 'out with the old, in with the new'.
Positive thinking on my part about starting a new job.

Of course that will mean that there will be no more pink highlights in my hair. Sad stuff that! I won't be able to spend as much time building templates, because I'll be spending my free time honing the skills I'll need in a new position. I'm an old pro at using the Microsoft Office Suites; Word, Excel, Power Point, and even Publisher, but I really need to throw myself into learning about the new company and their products so I can be a true asset and also so that I can be confident that I'm doing the best job possible.

Obviously I won't be here as much. The past couple of weeks that I haven't been working I've had more time to write here. Which was a nice distraction from the anxiety also. And it was great fun to get to visit and meet new people out on the Intertubes, but I will have to get back to a normal work schedule. I'll once again be limited to evenings and weekends and there are going to be periods of backlog in answering emails. I'll do my best.

The time off has also allowed me a chance to spend more time with Cheyenne. She's still working through the steps of grieving over Lona's death. The memorial video. We visited the cemetery a lot. Sometimes her friends would ask to go with us. We spent time decorating her grave with brightly colored mums and carnations.



The week before Christmas we put a mini tree in the planter. The kids she went to school with have been coming by and adding decorations. It just makes my heart ache for them all when I see the new ornaments. I can see the love and thoughtfulness that went into selecting them. They've hung jewelry in the tree as well. Necklaces and bracelets, earrings. The gifts that they would have given her this year. I'll get a picture the next time we go. It looks absolutely beautiful.

We also finally got to meet Lona's Halo!



A local horse breeder has named one of his new race horses after Lona. We've all been waiting to meet her. He named her after Lona because he says she has Lona's spirit. Sweet and outgoing. She loves having her picture taken and if there are people near her pen she moseys right up to nuzzle. She loves to be groomed and she even has blond highlights in her mane. Yes, definitely Lona's spirit. She'll be leaving for North Carolina in the Spring to start her training on the track and to learn to get out of the starting gate. I'll post her bloodline soon with a few more pictures. She comes from amazing stock. Both her grandfather and her father were champion race horses. There's a lot of excitement about her racing future. We've been invited to attend her races by special invitation. I don't know much about horse racing, but I think I'm about to get a quick education on it. I hope you'll all root for her with us.

I know New Years is still a few days off, but I can feel it coursing through me today. That feeling of optimism and endless possibilities. That whisper in the air that makes the spirit hunger for new adventures. A reawakening of the gypsy in my soul.

I'll try to take advantage of this weekend to catch up with everyone. If you don't see my face around much next week just know that it means that good things are happening. I'll try my best to keep up with HNT and Musical Monday. The rest will have to be catch as catch can.

Have a great weekend!

Christmas Gathering HNT

We had a great time on Christmas Eve.
I loved spending time with my nieces and nephews.
I even got to play Mrs. Claus.


And the kids made out like bandits!


I love seeing their excitement as they geared up for Santa's visit.


And my dad enjoyed it for all of the obvious reasons.
He was surrounded by girls who absolutely adore him!


Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas too!

And since we're supposed to pick our favorite HNT of the year I'll have to go with this one.

I got to spend time with Seamus.


Seamus

And I got a chance to meet the buffledog himself shortly before he passed away. I'm truly grateful to Seamus for having brought him to see me.



Happy HNT!

See the man. Osbasso




Technorati Tags: Christmas, Family, HNT, woodnotwood

Mr. Bean - The Christmas Turkey

We're having a very Brit holiday!
Come join us!


Mr. Bean's Christmas - The turkey scene


Here in the states we listen to Nat King Cole, but across the big pond Slade is the number one band for celebrating the spirit of the season.


I'll be writing more about Slade in an up-coming post.

Happy Xmas Everybody!!!

Mr. Bean, Christmas, Turkey, Movie, Slade, woodnotwood

Have a Psycho Christmas

Christmas Carols for the psychologically challenged.

1) Schizophrenia---- Do You Hear What I Hear, the Voices, the Voices?

2) Amnesia-- I Don't Remember If I'll be Home for Christmas

3) Narcissistic-- Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me

4) Manic-- Deck The Halls And Walls And House And Lawn And Streets and Stores And Office And Town And Cars And Buses And Trucks And Trees And Fire Hydrants And......

5) Multiple Personality Disorder----We Three Queens Disoriented Are

6) Paranoid---Santa Claus Is Coming To Get Us

7) Borderline Personality Disorder--- You Better Watch Out, You better not Shout, I'm Gonna Cry, and I'll not Tell You Why

8) Full Personality Disorder--- Thoughts of Roasting You on an Open Fire

9) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder---Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells

10) Agoraphobia---I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day But Wouldn't Leave My House

11) Senile Dementia---Walking In a Winter Wonderland Miles from My House in My Slippers and Robe

12) Oppositional Defiant Disorder---I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus So I Burned Down the House

13) Social Anxiety Disorder---Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas While I Sit Here and Hyperventilate

14) Attention Deficit Disorder--We Wish You......Hey Look!! It's Snowing

This came in an email from a very dear old friend.
I miss you Chris!!!

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Humor, Songs, Psychological, woodnotwood

Little Miss Anu

Gone... but not forgotten.

Last night Anu came to me in a dream.
It was the anniversary of my brother's death and I think she wanted to give me a special message. The kind of message that needs no words. She did not speak. As happens in dreams, she did not need to.

I dreamt that I was standing alone on a beach. The sun was shining and it was warm. Not hot, but comfortably warm. The sun was as bright as a noon day sun, but it hung low over the water like at sunset.

I remember looking down at my toes and seeing individual grains of sand on my feet. Each grain of sand sparkled like they were made of diamonds. As I walked along the beach I watched as they slid off my feet in surreal slow motion.

I saw Anu standing at water's edge. I couldn't see her face well because of the sun behind her. She was wearing some type of loose flowing white gown that wrapped around her body and it blew out away from her in a breeze. This breeze I knew was her own. I couldn't feel it. Her long hair shone with many colors. Brown and black and red highlights. I remember staring at her hair in the dream, captured by the brilliant beauty of it.

She gestured for me to follow her.

I followed her as she walked towards the sea, she didn't turn back to look at me until she reached the waters edge. Then she stopped, turned to me and smiled. A special smile; one that was full of peace and compassion and also a bit mischievous, like someone about to share a wonderful secret.

She began to walk into the water then. Again everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. I watched as the water lapped at the hem of her gown, then as it moved up until she was waist deep. I reached the waters edge then and she turned to me again. With that same smile on her face.

I knew then that I could not follow her. I wasn't ready to go where she was going, but I knew that she was sending me a message that where she was going was a wonderful magical place. A place of overwhelming beauty and love. A place that she looked forward to sharing with me when the time comes.

It was then that her message came clear, like a voice had whispered the words into the air and they had been carried to my ears on the breeze. She was telling me that when it was time she would come back for me. That she would take me to that special place with her. I remember thinking of my brother. Wondering why he wouldn't be the one coming to take me to that place, but no. My brother is in that place, he has his own special purpose there and he is waiting for me. He and I will be together always once I've crossed over, but she would be my guide out of darkness to that place of beauty and love.

I realized then that she had a special assignment in that place, she was chosen to be just such a guide. To come and lead her family, friends and acquaintances to this beach. To the water's edge. And then on. She told me that before I go there would be a period of utter darkness, but that I shouldn't have fear. I should just be patient and wait and she will come to get me. This was her message to me, delivered now, before the time comes, so that when she does come for me I will understand her purpose. And so that I will not be afraid in the darkness as I wait for her. She will come and deliver me to the people who love me.

And she and I will know and keep each other always after that.

She turned away again, walking out into the ocean. Her message delivered, she never looked back. I awoke just as the water level reached her shoulders.

The room was cold. Winter darkness was all around me. I put on my robe and went downstairs, the last glow of embers in the fireplace barely lit the room so I lit a couple of candles. I sat down on the couch and wrapped my throw blanket tightly around my shoulders.

I sat in the quiet and thought. I thought about the message that had been delivered to me. That sense of peace that had enveloped me when I was with her was with me still. I thought that I should have been feeling disappointed that it wouldn't be my brother who would come for me, but I had no such feeling. It just felt right. Right in more ways than I can express that she would be the one to come for me.

I wanted to write this dream because it needed to be shared. And also because I had a very specific thought when she expressed to me her assignment as a guide. That she would come for her family, friends and acquaintances. I thought... WDKY? And I had a feeling as though she brushed the thought away. Not to worry. I'm going to come for him.
Of course I am.
He already knows this.



In fact, my reason for doing so is something of a sad one... believe it or not, tomorrow mark's the first anniversary of Anu's death and I just felt that I couldn't let it pass without a word or two. ~WDKY

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas- From Pup and I

Pup and I had our Christmas Party Gathering.
He supplied the food and booze.
I supplied the me.
This is how we entertained our visitors.



In the meantime...
Cheyenne and I got elfed thanks to Pup.


Wanna see our Elf Dance?

Happy Musical Monday!!!

Sweeney Todd Musical Monday

This was my close encounter with the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.



Happy Musical Monday.
Join the Fun.



Technorati Tags: video, Musical Monday, Sweeney Todd, Johnny Depp, youtube, woodnotwood

Download Books for iPhone

Manybooks.net is now offering books for download on iPhones.

I highly recommend The Book of the Damned.



Books, Geek, iPhone, Literature, Technology, Woodnotwood

Skins

I'm finally back after battling it out with my router.
Technology can be a beautiful thing. And then it either gets deprecated or stops being supported. That's why I've always believed that percussive maintenance is the best solution when technology runs amuck. Somebody has to be the alpha machine.

And as Murphy said "If it jams - force it. If it breaks - it needed replacing anyway."

I've been wearing my Redskins windbreaker for the past week with a black armband. Flying my true colors.
My brother was taken from us a few days before Christmas. I understand the pain that Sean Taylor's family must be going through right now. I know the questions. Who? Why?
My thoughts and prayers are with them tonight.
I understand exactly where Jason Whitlock's head was when he wrote this article about black on black violence. His words captured everything that I felt in my heart when my brother was taken from us but could not express.

I've been a long-time Washington Redskins fan. I was a fan before their 1983 Super Bowl win against the Dolphins, and even after flying to Miami to personally witness the humiliation of 'Black Sunday'.

Hail to the Redskins
Hail Victory
Braves on the Warpath
Fight for old D.C.


May they continue on and make Sean proud.

Technorati Tags: Redskins, Sean Taylor, woodnotwood