no NASCAR weekend #6

6 weeks to go...i resorted to watching the Disney movie "Cars" and once again watching the Prelude to the Dream, ok, that's not a hardship at all, i love dirt track racing and watching the boy slide is amazing...and if there had been any way on this earth i could have been in Ft. Wayne this weekend to see the Rumble i would have!

halfway there....less than 45 days...

no NASCAR weekend #5

This so far has been the hardest weekend to get through, I spent most of it with my mother, who is just getting over being sick. I made about 10 dozen chocolate chip cookies in a 2 hour time period this morning, I made the dough last night.

The forums I belong to are quiet and so is Facebook and I guess it's good news because there doesn't seem to be any NASCAR news either...I did find out that certain members of my family know absolutely nothing at all about my favorite driver and NASCAR, the proof is in the very thoughtful Christmas present I found on my doorstep. Remembering the season, it is the thought that counts and will stay warm while wrapped up with my driver!

A Christmas Carol, over and over and over again

Who knew? I have to admit I love Charles Dickens tale, A Christmas Carol, just the idea that in a short period of time, like a few hours, you can change your entire life around. During this holiday season I’ve always been amazed at the number of different versions of this story are on Television. I’ve listed several , my current favorite version is the one with Patrick Stewart.

A Christmas Carol (1938), starring Reginald Owen as Scrooge and Gene Lockhart and Kathleen Lockhart as the Cratchits.

Scrooge (1951), starring Alastair Sim as Scrooge and Mervyn Johns and Hermione Baddeley as the Cratchits.

Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962), an animated musical television special featuring the UPA character voiced by Jim Backus, with songs by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill.

Scrooge (1970), a musical film adaptation starring Albert Finney as Scrooge and Alec Guinness as Marley's Ghost.

An American Christmas Carol (1979), an adaptation starring Henry Winkler at the height of his fame from the television series Happy Days, where the story is set in Depression era New England, and the Scrooge character is named Benedict Slade.

Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol (1979), an animated television special featuring the various Looney Tunes characters.

Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983), an animated short film featuring the various Walt Disney characters (including characters from Wind in the Willows, Robin Hood and The Three Little Pigs), with Scrooge McDuck fittingly playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge.


Alvin and the Chipmunks adapted the basic storyline in a 1983 TV Special on NBC, Alvin's Christmas Carol. Alvin becomes a Scrooge-like chipmunk who only views Christmas as a time of getting. But Dave, Theodore and Simon show him that Christmas is a time of giving. Incidentally, Alvin's elderly neighbor on his paper route has a cat named Ebenezer.

A Christmas Carol (1984), starring George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge, David Warner and Susanna York as the Cratchitts, with Edward Woodward as The Ghost Of Christmas Present. Scott (who had played Fagin two years previously) received an Emmy Award nomination for his performance.

"A Jetsons Christmas Carol" (1985), Christmas themed episode of The Jetsons in which Cosmo Spaceley is the "Scrooge" visited by three robotlike "ghosts".

Scrooged (1988), a remake in a contemporary setting with Bill Murray being a misanthropic TV producer who is haunted by the ghosts of Christmas. Directed by Richard Donner.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), featuring the various Muppet characters, with Michael Caine as Scrooge. This adaption also adds a character named Robert Marley, who is Jacob's brother and was a second partner in Scrooge's business. He appears with Jacob as a ghost. Also with Gonzo as Charles Dickens, with Rizzo the Rat tagging along, being "just here for the food."

A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994), animated adaptation featuring Fred Flintstone as 'Eboneezer Scrooge', Barney as 'Bob Cragit' and Mr. Slate as 'Jacob Marbley'.

Ebbie (1995), a television movie in which the role of Scrooge is played by a female with Susan Lucci as Elizabeth "Ebbie" Scrooge, the cold-hearted owner of a department store.

Ms. Scrooge (1997), a television movie starring Cicely Tyson that aired on USA Network.

A Christmas Carol (1999), a television movie starring Patrick Stewart, inspired by his one-man show, but featuring a full supporting cast. This was the first version of the story to make use of digital special effects.

A Diva's Christmas Carol (2000), a humorous adaptation starring Vanessa Williams as bitchy diva Ebony Scrooge who is transformed into a kind-hearted soul.

A Carol Christmas (2003) Made-for-TV adaptation on the Hallmark Channel. Stars Tori Spelling as "Scroogette." William Shatner makes a special appearance as the ghost of Christmas Present, and Gary Coleman as the ghost of Christmas Past.

A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004), starring Kelsey Grammer.

Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas (2006) Looney Tunes adaptation featuring Daffy Duck as Scrooge.

no NASCAR weekend #4

Another sort of no NASCAR weekend, last night on CMT was the premiere of "The Ride of Their Lives", a wonderful look my favorite sport. And I will be watching the replays, so far there are 3 scheduled! Hey, it's cars going round and history! Can't beat the combination!

60 plus days until the Daytona 500...I can make it I know I can...

no NASCAR weekend #3

It’s only partially true this weekend, there was a NASCAR event on Friday night, the Sprint Cup Championship Banquet at the Waldorf Astoria, it was not live but live on tape and broadcast on ESPN Classic, a channel hardly anyone on regular basic cable gets. I watched and watched and will have to admit that the comedian was really good this year. And my favorite driver looked down right yummy!

I spent the rest of the weekend watching my other obsession, Harry Potter and waiting now instead for the next book but for the next movie! Family Channel has been playing HP movies all weekend, numbers 1-4, Sorcerers Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire. Funny thing is I have all of the released movies on DVD and strangely enough watched them over Thanksgiving…oh well, 60 day till NASCAR starts again and I think 6 months until the Half Blood Prince is release…

things

There are certain things I like, things I grew up with and no matter how many years go by I find comfort in these simple things…a McDonalds double cheese burger, baby ducks, my purple crayola teddy bear, good friends, musicals, Disney movies, kittens and puppies, a beautiful smile, balloons.

I could go on but today I’ve latched on to one of these, Disney movies, one in particular, The Little Mermaid, I was thinking about one song from the movie, actually I borrowed a CD from the library “Country Sings Disney” and Faith Hill sings “Part Of Your World”, I know the basic song is about Ariel wanting to leave the sea, but the words hit me today and I could apply them to my life and what I think I want. There’s a life I would love to be a part of; definitely a different world than my simple one, who knows, it’s a possible dream.


When's it my turn?
Wouldn't I love
Love to explore that shore above?
Out of the sea
Wish I could be Part of that world

no NASCAR weekend #2

It still sucks!

Ok, it could have been worse, I’m not sure how but I’m sure it could have…there was football, nah, wasn’t interested…oh I did, no, I didn’t…

Yeah, well, the only bright spot is this week it Championship Week in NYC, so I may get to see my boy(s) on television, Friday is the banquet, ESPN Classic, yep, NASCAR once again gets treated like a red-headed stepchild, no respect…2nd most watched sport and their big dress up event isn’t even on a normal ESPN channel…go figure.

maybe

I got this as an e-mail the other day, I don’t know who the author is but at this time of the year it’s nice to reflect…

MAYBE

Maybe. . We were supposed to meet the
Wrong people before meeting the right
One so that, when we finally meet the
Right person, we will know how to be
Grateful for that gift.

Maybe . . . When the door of happiness
Closes, another opens; but, often
Times, we look so long at the closed
Door that we don't even see the new
One which has been opened for us.

Maybe . . . It is true that we don't
Know what we have until we lose it,
But it is also true that we don't know
What we have been missing until it
Arrives.

Maybe . . . The happiest of people
Don't necessarily have the best of
Everything; they just make the most of
Everything that comes along their way.

Maybe . . . The brightest future will
Always be based on a forgotten past;
After all, you can't go on
Successfully in life until you let go
Of your past mistakes, failures and
Heartaches.

Maybe . . . You should dream what you
Want to dream; go where you want to
Go, be what you want to be, because
You have only one life and one chance
To do all the things you dream of, and
Want to do.

Maybe . . . There are moments in life
When you miss someone -- a parent, a
Spouse, a friend, a child -- so much
That you just want to pick them from
Your dreams and hug them for real, so
That once they are around you
Appreciate them more.

Maybe . . . The best kind of friend is
The kind you can sit on a porch and
Swing with, never say a word, and then
Walk away feeling like it was the best
Conversation you've ever had.

Maybe . . You should always try to put
Yourself in others' shoes. If you feel
That something could hurt you, it
Probably will hurt the other person,
Too.

Maybe . . You should do something nice
For someone every single day, even if
It is simply to leave them alone.

Maybe Giving someone all your love
Is never an assurance that they will
Love you back. Don't expect love in
Return; just wait for it to grow in
Their heart; but, if it doesn't, be
Content that it grew in yours.

Maybe . . Happiness waits for all
Those who cry, all those who hurt, all
Those who have searched, and all those
Who have tried, for only they can
Appreciate the importance of all the
People who have touched their lives.

Maybe . . . You shouldn't go for
Looks; they can deceive; don't go for
Wealth; even that fades away. Go for
Someone who makes you smile, because
It takes only a smile to make a dark
Day seem bright. Find the one that
Makes your heart smile

Maybe . . You should hope for enough
Happiness to make you sweet, enough
Trials to make you strong, enough
Sorrow to keep you human, and enough
Hope to make you happy

Maybe . . . You should try to live
Your life to the fullest because when
You were born, you were crying and
Everyone around you was smiling but
When you die, you can be the one who
Is smiling and everyone around you
Crying.

Maybe . . . You could send this message
To those people who mean something to
You, to those who have touched your
Life, to those who can and do make you
Smile when you really need it, to
Those who make you see the brighter
Side of things when you are really
Down, and to all those whom you want
To know that you appreciate them and
Their friendship.

No NASCAR weekend #1

yeah, it sucked...i hate weekends with no NASCAR racing, yes the guys deserve time off but this is the one sport i adore and yes it is a sport no matter what some people think.

redesigning your life via a candy wrapper

Yeah, I know, sounds very strange but I discovered that one of my favorite foods, dark chocolate, in the form of Dove miniatures, has life lessons on every wrapper…


I have learned these important lessons...so far, I'll add more as I find them!

1. Decorate your life

2. Laugh uncontrollably…it clears the mind

3. Listen to your heartbeat and dance

4. Make someone melt today

5. Don’t think about it so much

6. Find your passion

7. Forget the rules and follow your instinct

8. Life is precious and an opportunity for you to make every moment count

9. Simply be, rather than do for a moment

10. There’s no excuse not to dream

11. When two hears race, both win

12. Naughty can be nice

13. Follow your instincts.

change...

Change, I hate change…and no I don’t mean change as in dimes, nickels and pennies.
I mean as in things not staying the same. Yes, I know nothing stays the same but for the most part my life has consistency, I can count on certain things, you know, the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, my four legged children waking me up no matter what day of the week it is or whether or not I have that particular day off.

I use to know that I had no matter what at least one day a week I’d hit my leg on my work desk, I may not have liked it but it was a constant, well, no more, as of yesterday my desk is gone, tomorrow I will have “new” furniture and I’m not happy. This is a change I do not under any circumstance like. I work because I have to not because I like what I’m doing, ok, not quite true, I do get a certain enjoyment out of helping people, which is essentially what my job entails and I will admit I am good at my job. I entered this department when workers were properly trained which leads to another change I didn’t like but again had no choice in the matter. All for the sake of saving money, changes were made, make the jobs quicker but not necessarily more efficient which when I think about it is the reason I have to have new furniture. I work for the state in which I reside, in an effort for the state to save money, note I said for the state to save money, they want workers to work from home. Yeah, sounds good until you realize that your own expenses will rise as the state lowers theirs. Just the thought of bringing my work home almost makes the idea of new office furniture palatable. Ok, but I still hate change…more I this later


update: 11/14-new furniture arrived yesterday at 2:30, I was the first to lose my old desk and the last to get the "new" desk...I miss looking out my window but I'm getting settled...sort of

wandering

I can’t concentrate, this is nothing new. I freely admit I have the brain of a wanderer, I think it’s my Hungarian roots, there must be some gypsy in that branch of my family tree.

There are moments in my day when I stare out my office window and the view isn’t that spectacular, it’s a fenced in retention pond behind a shopping center that I liked better before they cut down all the plant growth on the fence, I miss the white morning glories that wove their way about the chain linked enclosure. I even stare at the wall in front of me; still hanging is a chain of paper balloons in primary colors that I refused to take down after my birthday last February. I also have a few b& w photos I’ve taken from the internet that make me smile and conjure wonderful daydreams!

Don’t get me wrong, I do get the tasks of my job completed, my monthly statistics are awesome or so my supervisor tells me! (she’d never lie to me!!) I do this job because somebody has to and it pays my mortgage, one day I’ll open my stained glass studio, give classes and create the pieces in my brain, patterns that will challenge and defy convention. I’ll gain more inspiration from the changing of the seasons and the smell of the nearby mountain air.

But for now, I’ll sit here and stare out my office window…

Please tell me it's not almost over...

It’s starting, it’s almost the end, I knew it would be soon but dang only 2 more weekends of NASCAR racing until January. (that’s counting testing sessions!)

Yeah yeah, yeah, my friends just don’t get me, ok that’s not true, I have a small and wonderful group of friends that totally understand the beginning of these withdrawal pains, it’s like being told I can’t have dark chocolate from November 17 2008 to February 15 2009. I’ll be searching for any type of racing available, diaper derbies, snail races, I may even have to go to the Mud Hole in Lakeland for a fix, heck I’ll even drive by the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World and go to EPCOT for a ride on the Test Track and yes I’ll be listening to the Chili Bowl on the internet and watching my copy of the Prelude to the Dream, over and over!

This season isn’t ending like I want it to, but I can’t say I haven’t had a great time cheering for my favorite driver. I spent 2 weeks in Charlotte during Speed Weeks and a day doesn’t go by that I don’t wish that’s where I was all the time! And come Homestead on November 16, 2008 I'll be crying my eyes out for the end of an era, guess I'll have to stop bleeding orange then...

I just ask you to bear with me, I really can’t wait for the 2009 season to begin, so many changes thanks to the silly season. I anticipate big things for the #14 and #39!!

Halloween

Halloween, the memories this day evokes…simple days when we would walk from one end of our neighborhood to the other, and area that was at least 3 blocks wide (16 houses on a block) and easily 10 blocks deep. We knew which houses to avoid, houses worthy of urban legend fame either that or they gave out pennies or “ucky” candy! The highlight was the costume contest at the rec center, my brother dressed in my mothers dress and wig won the same year I dressed as a baseball player in a uniform the stout boy could no longer fit in, alas, I made a poor boy. I’ll admit I was a much better cat woman the year before.

As I dressed this particular morning, only deciding last night what I’d be, I remembered all my past “adult” costumes, Cyndi Lauper, gypsy, Dorothy, a court jester, a toddler, a belly dancer…so much fun, and this year my inspiration was pair of turquoise leopard print tights in the most recent Target ad…luckily I found a forgotten LBD, that looks fab once again, amazing what you can get into when you drop a few pounds!! Now if I can only get into some trouble….so, when asked what I am, it’s easy, I’m a Ghoul, coz Ghouls just wanna have fun! Hey it was a cute song back in the day!

Where there is no imagination there is no horror.- - -Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Things Stressed Women Say

I found this in an old file I'd saved...I can relate to many of these on any given day, heehee, today I really like 5, 12, 15 and 27.
many thanks to the original author!

• 1. Okay, Okay! I take it back. Unscrew You.
• 2. You say I'm a bitch like it's a bad thing.
• 3. Well this day was a total waste of make-up.
• 4 Well, Aren't we a damn ray of sunshine?
• 5. Don't bother me, I'm living happily ever after.
• 6. Do I look like a people person?
• 7. This isn't an office. It's hell with fluorescent lighting.
• 8. I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left.
• 9. Therapy is expensive. Popping bubble wrap is cheap. You choose.
• 10. Why don't you try practicing random acts of intelligence and senseless acts of self control.
• 11. I'm not crazy. I've been in a bad mood for 30 years.
• 12. Sarcasm is just one more service I offer.
• 13. Do they ever shut up on your planet?
• 14 . Stress is when you wake up screaming and you realize you haven't gone to sleep yet.
• 15 Back off!! You're standing in my aura.
• 16. Don't worry I forgot your name too.
• 17. I work 45 hours a week to be this poor.
• 18. Not all men are annoying. Some are dead.
• 19 . Wait...I'm trying to imagine you with a personality.
• 20 . Chaos, panic and disorder... my work here is done.
• 21. Ambivalent? Well, yes and no.
• 22. Earth is full. Go Home.
• 23 Aw, did I step on your poor little itty bitty ego?
• 24 . I'm not tense, just terribly alert.
• 25. You are depriving some village of an idiot.
• 26 . If idiots could fly this place would be an airport.
• 27 . A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand!

deserve...

Definition of Deserve:
Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary
Main Entry:
de·serve
Pronunciation:
\di-ˈzərv\
Function:
verb
Inflected Form(s):
de·served; de·serv·ing
Etymology:
Middle English, from Anglo-French deservir, from Latin deservire to devote oneself to, from de- + servire to serve
Date: 13th century
transitive verb: to be worthy of: merit intransitive verb: to be worthy, fit, or suitable for some reward or requital
— de·serv·er noun

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deserve


The thesaurus in Microsoft word gives this definition – a verb - merit, be worthy of, ought to have, earn, warrant, justify


But Wiktionary’s definition is the one I like best…

Verb
to deserve (third-person singular simple present deserves, present participle deserving, simple past and past participle deserved)

To earn or merit a reward or punishment.After playing so well, the team really deserved their win.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/deserve



You may wonder why the semi-in-depth study on the word “deserve”. A dear and wondrous friend told me that this man I tend to dream about does not deserve me, well, if you look at “deserve” as a punishment not a reward then maybe he does deserve me! Maybe we are exactly what each other not only deserves but needs. Yes, this is a side trip in my adventures, a nice thing to ponder…I have never been one to follow the easy path, I have my own drummer; actually I have my own band filled with all the odd ball instruments that life has tossed me, kazoos, slide whistles, balloons-yes, they make wonderful instruments and instruments of torture as well, but that’s another adventure, let’s see, tapping fingers…ok, I also wander off the subject quite often, back to deserving and the man, heavy sigh. I think I’ll sit with this heavy sigh for a bit and dream of his eyes, beautiful brown sexy smoldering yes, this is a reward kind of deserve!!

Adventures in Wonderment

OK, here goes nothing, correction, here goes something...today i'm starting fresh, positive thinking, possible dreams, great friends and remembering that impossible things are happening every day! i'd like to think i'll post often and comment on my journey, i have no idea what i'll find and what i'll discover about myself. this is likely to be a very eclectic blog to read, my mind wanders in circles, kind of like my favorite sport, NASCAR, except those boys don't wander on the track! i love country music and lyrics, more of the newer country, new as in Garth, Toby, Trace, Diamond Rio, Rascal Flatts, SheDaisy, Trisha, Terri, Sara, Sugarland...their words speak to me and make me dance with joy. sigh....yes, i sigh alot, especially when i think about him, yes there is a him and he doesn't know i even exist, that is not yet, well, that's not quite true, we've met, several times in a way, but those are stories i won't be telling for a while...yes, i'm being mean but then again this is my space to write and i'll decide what to write and not write...so remember it was Aristotle said "Hope is a waking dream", boy do i hope my dreams come true!

Why Widget?

Widget is now such a internet thing, when I first picked this name a "Widget" to me was my new yorkie puppy, a wee midget...I still find it odd to see widgets for this and widgets for that. But in my heart Widget will always be that sweet little face that died much too young.